468 CVI. CHENOPODIACEiE. Chenopodium. 



cultivated grounds. Stem 3f or more high, with thick leaves of variable 

 shape, and 2 — 3' long. Flowers green, in terminal, interrupted racemes or 

 spikes. It is sometimes cultivated as a pot-herb. July. <) 



2. A. PATULA. Spreading Orache. 



SI. spreading, herbaceous ; Ivs. triangular-hastate, acuminate ; cal. of the 

 fruit submuricate on the disk. — ® A very branching plant, 1 — 2f long, found 

 in salt marshes, N. Y. to Ga. Stem and leaves dull green, somewhat glaucous. 

 Lower leaves hastate, with coarse teeth, upper ones lanceolate and nearly 

 entire. Flowers in long, terminal and axillary, interrupted racemes. Sepals 

 of the fertile flowers triangular, studded with tubercles in the midst. Aug. 



3. A. ARENARiA. Nutt. Satul Oraclic. 



St. spreading, herbaceous ; Ivs. entire, oblong-ovate, subsessile, silvery- 

 white beneath, upper ones acute or acuminate ; fis. aggregated, axillary ; cal. 

 of the fertile fs. muricate, dentate, retuse.— Grows on sandy shores, N. Y. to 

 Car. Stem about a foot high, reddish, angular, very branching. Lower leaves 

 often wedge-shaped. Flowers moncecious, the sterile ones in short, dense 

 spikes at the ends of the branches, the fertile in axillary clusters. July. 



4. A. LACiNiATA. Frosted Sea Orache. 



S'eni spreading, herbaceous ; Irs. triangular-ovate, deeply toothed, hoary 

 pubescent beneath, lower ones opposite ; $ tetrandrous ; cal. of the fruit, rhom- 

 boid, 3-veined, denticulate.—® In salt marshes, N. Y. to Car. Steni a foot long, 

 mostly procumbent, mealv, alternately branched. Leaves stalked, entire at 

 base, "covered with small, grayi.sh scales. The perfect flowers in terminal, ses- 

 sile clusters, their ovaries about 5. Pistillate flowers axillary, 2 — 3 together. Jl. 



5. A. Halimus. Common Orache. 



S':. shrubby; Ivs. often subopposite, oblong-rhomboidal, entire, attenuated 

 into the margined petiole.— A tall, shrubby species, 6f high, said by Dr. Muh- 

 lenberg to be naturalized on the sea-coasts of N. J. It is ornamental on account 

 of its silvery foliage, and sometimes cultivated. ^ 

 G. BLITUM. 



Gr. /3\r]Tov, insipid ; in allusion to the fair but insipid berries. 



Fls. $. Calyx 3-cleft, segments ovate, equal ; sta. 1, exserted ; 

 sty. 2 ; ova. ovoid, acuminate; seed 1, contained in the calyx which 

 becomes a berry. — (D Herbaceous weeds. Fls. andfr. in capitate clus- 

 ters terminal and axillary. 



1. B. capitatum. Straicberry Blite. 



it;s. triangular-hastate, toothed; hds. in a terminal, leafless spike; fr. 

 consisting of the reddened flowers, appearing like strawberries, full of a purple 

 juice, taste insipid.— Va. to Arc. Circle. A weed-like plant, about a foot in 

 height, branching, growing in fields, and sometimes cultivated for borders in 

 the' flower garden. Heads of flowers sessile, near together, on the branches and 

 summit of the stem. June, f 



2. B. viRGATUM. Slender Blite. 



S'. with spreading branches; lis. triangular-hastate, sinuate-dentate; glo- 

 vierules scattered, lateral.— Fields and waste places. Stem 2f in length, spread- 

 ing or procumbent. Leaves 2 — 3' by 1—2' coarsely toothed, on petioles half as 

 long. Flowers always in axillary clusters, never terminal. Calyx finally 

 fleshy and red in fruit". Jn. ^ 



3. B. MARITiMUM. 



Lrs. lanceolate, attenuate at each extremity, incisely dentate ; hds. axil- 

 lary, sessile, spiked ; cal. membranaceous. — (i) A coarse, unsightly plant, in 

 salt marshes, N. Y. Stem 1— 2f high, very branching. Leaves fleshy, with 3 

 or more large teeth each side. Flowers very numerous and minute, not be- 

 coming red in fruit. Aug. 



7. CHENOPODIUM 



Gr. yr}v, a roose ; novs, a foot ; from the resemblance of the leaves. 



Calyx 5-parted, obtusely 5-angled, froe, partially enveloping the 



