356 TAMARISCINE^. [part ii. 



ORDER LXXIX.— LYTHRARIE^, or SALTCARI^. 



The principal plants in this order that are 

 interesting to amateurs, are included in the 

 genera Lythrum, Cuphea, Heimia, Lawsonia, 

 and Lagerstroemia. The genus Lythrum con- 

 tains all those showy British plants which are 

 called the Willow Herbs. The flowers are 

 purple, and the petals, which are four or six in 

 number, are crumpled in the bud. The stamens 

 are either the same number as the petals, or 

 twice the number, and the capsule is two-celled. 

 The calyx, as in all the plants included in this 

 order, is tubular, with numerous lobes ; and the 

 petals soon fall off. Cuphea is a genus princi- 

 pally of annual plants, with six or seven dark 

 purple petals, unequal in size, and curiously in- 

 serted in the calyx. Heimia is a genus of South 

 American shrubs, with yellow flowers. Law- 

 sonia inermis produces the Henna, which the 

 ladies of the East use to dye the palms of their 

 hands pink ; and Lagerstroemia is a beautiful 

 conservatory tree, with handsome flowers. This 

 plant is sometimes called the pride of India. 



ORDER LXXX.— TAMARISCINE^.— THE 

 TAMARISK TRIBE. 



There are very few plants in this order, and 

 the only ones common in British gardens are 



