STNGENESIA NECESSARIA. ,475 



■ 



Sp. pi. 3. p. 2387. Walt. p. 232, Mich. 2. p. 184. Pursh, 2. p. 580. 

 Nutt. 2. p. 185. 



A shrub three to eight feet high, with very numerous opposite branches 

 and leaves. Stem slightly furrowed, when young somewhat scabrous and 

 pubescent. Leaves three-nerved, slightly scabrous with a somewhat dotted 

 and uneven surface, of a greyish hue, attenuated at base into a short petiole. 

 Flowers axillary, frequently in pairs, deflected, in simple axillary racemes 

 forming together a large terminal panicle. Involucrum five-leaved, the 

 leaves nearly round, viscidly pubescent. Fertile /orefs five in the circum- 

 ference. Corolla very small, tubular, generally two? cleft. Style two- 

 cleft, longer than the corolla. Stigmas obtuse. Malejlorets in the centre 

 of the disk six to seven. Corolla longer than the involucrum, five-cleft, 

 tinged with purple, stamens five, growing from the base of the corolla. 

 Germ and Style very small, abortive. Seed abortive, naked. Bristles of 

 the receptacle as many as the florets, as long as the corolla. 



Grows along the seacoast in the vicuiity of salt water — very common. 



Flowers July — September. 



2. Imbricata. Walt. 



I. perennis, glabra; I Perennial, glabrous; 



foliis lineari-lanceola- leaves linear-lanceo 

 tis, cuneatis, carnosis, ! late, cimeate, succulent, 



superioribus alternis 

 integerrimisque; invo- 

 lucris imbricatis; re- 

 ceptaculi paleis spatlm- 

 latis. E. 



the upper alternate and 

 very entire; involu- 

 crum imbricate; chaff 



of the receptacle spa- 

 thulate. 



Walt. p. 232. Sp. pL 3. p. 2387- Mich. 2. p. 184- Pursh^ 2. p. 580. 



Nutt:2. p. 185. 



Root perennial. Stem annual, terete, slightly angled towards the sum- 

 mit, when young green, afterwards dark purple. Leaves sessile, succulent, 

 three-nerved, generally alternate, the lower sometimes opposite, and some- 

 times coarsely toothed. Flowers axillary, forming simple racemes towaids 

 the summit of the branches, pendulous. Scales of the involucrum six to 

 nine, imbricate, nearly round, carnose, veined, the margin membranaceous 

 and crenately lacerate. Fertile florets two, the corolla very minute, five- 

 parted (sometimes appearing multifid) at the summit. Style twice as long 

 as the corollaj stigmas simple. Male florets numerous. Corolla as long 

 *s the involucrum, white. Anthers approximate not united. Seeds slightly 

 compressed, dark purple. Chaff of the receptacle as long as the involucrum, 

 narrow spathulate, crenulate at the summit. 



Grows among the drifting sand hills along the margin of the ocean. 



Flowers July — October. 



