Spinncia. dioecia niNXANDRiA. 771 



lanceolate, caducous. Spikes terminal, and axillary, pani- 

 cled, sub-cylindric, downy. Bractes minute, one-flowered, 

 fro/n one lo ihrec inches lonu, and nearly as broad. Stipules 

 downy. Floiceis nunicrons, minute, sessile, of a pale greenish 

 yellow. INJALE. Ca/i/x five-leaved; leaflets oblong-, woolly. 

 Corol none. Filaments five, twice, or more, longer than 

 the calyx, inserted round the base of an hemispheric, hairy 

 receptacle. Anthers twin. Pisii/ no other than a gland in 

 the centre of the receptacle. Fe»iale. C'a/ya; five-toothed. 

 Corol none. JSTectari/, a yellow, villous ring* surrounding- 

 the base of the germ. Gtrm obliquely ovate. Style scarcely 

 any. .S/zV/mrt generally of five stellate divisions. Berry, ra- 

 ther drupe in this species, small, round, smooth, when ripe 

 of a dark purple, pulp of a pleasant subacid taste. J^ut 

 single, one-seeded. Embrijo inverse, and furnished with a 

 perisperm. 



SPINACIA. Schreb. gen. N. 1520. 

 Male. Ca/i/a; four or five-parted. Coro/ none. Female. 

 Calyx two, or four-cleft. Corol none. Styles four. Seed 

 one, within the indurated calyx. Embryo annular, with an 

 inferior radicle, and furnished with a perisperm. 



S. tetrandra. Roxb. 



Annual, erect. Leaves variously lobed. Floivers hispid, 

 sessile, the male ones tetrandrous, i\\e fertiale calyx two- 

 parted. 



Hind, and Beng. Pinnis. 



Arab, and Pers. Ispanj, or Ispanaj ; these point out the 

 derivation of our generic name, which has been doubtful. 



It is much cultivated in Bengal and the adjoining pro- 

 vinces; being a pot-herb held in considerable estimation by 

 the natives. 



Stem erect, from twelve to twenty-four inches high, round, 

 smooth, piped, succulent, sometimes reddish. Leaves al- 



4S2 



