194 THE JOURNAL OF BOTANY 



scarious margin. Branches stiffly erect, 1-3 in. long (lowest ones, 

 with spike, 2^-3 in. long) ; (panicle broadest about the middle) ; (no 

 sterile lower branches). Spikes i-l in. long, dense-flowered, 

 spreading, at first straight, then recurved. Spikelets 2-4- (3-5-) 

 flowered ; not congested. Outer and middle bracts §-1^ lines long. 

 Inner bract 2^-2^ lines long ; 3 (2^-2^-) times longer than the outer 

 bract, Bracteoles (1-3 in each spikelet) a little shorter than inner 

 bract, frayed at the apex, (slightly gibbous). Calyx with very 

 obtuse short subrotund lobes ; tube rather hairy ; (teeth of veins 

 short, broad-based, acute ; veins usually hairy, more copiously so 

 near base, occasionally half-way up teeth). 



I have added in brackets certain variations from and additions 

 to Girard's description ; these are the results of an examination of 

 an undoubted example of I ijchnidi folium, in Herb. Brit. Mus. collected 

 by Companyo in 1852 near Perpignan and Sainte-Lucie (Aude). 

 (Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. C. Billot. No. 1053). 



The variety corymbosum was first described (under Statice 

 lychnidifolia Gir.) by E. Boissier in De Candolle's Prodromus in 

 1848, where we find this diagnosis: — " /?. corymbosa, panicula 

 minus ramosa confertiore ramorum inferiorum elongatione sub- 

 corymbosa." 



A close examination of Mr. Andrews's plant, which is, I think, 

 best placed under this variety, gives the following further points of 

 difference from true lyclinidifoUam : — Plant 8-10 in. high. Scape 

 branched below the middle, often from quite close to its base. 

 Branches (lowest) very long, 3-4f in. with spike, forming a broad 

 panicle usually broadest above the middle and so rather corymbose ; 

 very rarely 1-2 sterile lower branches. Spikes \-l in. long. Spike- 

 lets 1-2-flowered, usually 2. (Jute)- bract l|-li lines long. Inner 

 bract 2^ lines long, scarcely twice as long as outer. Bracteoles 1 in 

 each spikelet (or in the 1 -flowered spikelets), strongly gibbous. 



L. lychnidlfolinm and its var. corymbosum may be distinguished 

 from our other British species as follows : — 



L. occidentale 0. Kuntze (Statice occidentalis Lloyd) is a more 

 slender plant with lanceolate- spathulate and smaller leaves (never 

 so broad), 1-3- veined ; scales of the scape varying but little in size 

 (about 4-1^ hues long), and never foliaceous ; spikes ascending- 

 spreading, never horizontal or recurved nor so congested as in 

 lychnidifolium ; teeth of calyx-veins longer, narrow and very acute. 

 Mr. C. R. P. Andrews also noted that in his plant, when growing, 

 the rich brown colour of the bracts showed up the scarious calyx m 

 stronger contrast, as compared with the species in question. 



L. Dodartii 0. Kuntze {Statice Dodartii Girard) is nearer lychni- 

 difolium, and is quite as robust ; it is distinguished by the stout 

 scape, which hardly tapers at all from base to apex ; by its leaves, 

 which are not so large, and which are rounded (or very obtusely 

 pointed) at the apex, 3-5-veined; its spikes are rigidly erect, sub- 

 vertical, never spreading or horizontal, and its panicle narrow and 

 elongated; also the scales vary but little in size (about 2^-1 line long). 

 I omit mention of the plant called intermedia by Syme, as this 

 and forms near it require further study. 



