464 PEPLIS. [CLASS VI. ORDEK I. 



terminal or axillary. Flowers solitary, sessile, of a pale pink. Calyx 

 tubular, four or five-cleft, with four or five pale hard ridges and downy 

 intermediate furrows, persistent, regular. Corolla of five petals, with 

 claws as long as the calyx, and an obovate spreading limb, each with 

 a channeled membranous appendage at its base. Stamens with s\ei\- 

 ^er filaments as long as the tube. Anthers yellow, roundish, ovate, of 

 two cells bursting laterally. Styles slender, as long as the stamens. 

 Stigmas of three oblong spreading lobes, downy above. Capsule 

 ovate, or somewhat three cornered, one celled, three valved, enveloped 

 in the calyx. Seeds numerous, small, attached to the margins of the 

 valves. 



Habitat,— MwMy salt marshes, chiefly on the Eastern Cojist of 

 England ; Isle of Sheppey, Kent. — Rev. Prof. Henslow. 



Perennial; flowering in July. 



2. F. pulverulen'ta, Linn. (Fig. 527.) Powdery Sea Heath. Leaves 

 whorled, obovate, retuse, peliolated, the margins revolule, smooth 

 above, downy, and pulverulent beneath, and the petioles ciliated. 



English Botany, 2222. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 186.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 157. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 39. 



Root small, branched, fibrous. Stems numerous, prostrate, re- 

 peatedly branched in a forked manner, round, pinkish, and more or 

 less clothed with short downy pubescence. Leaves opposite, or in 

 whorls, of about four, ovate, obtuse, with an emarginate extremity, the 

 margins reflexed, paler beneath, and clothed with close down, and 

 pulverulent, smooth above, petiole rather short, ciliated, often with 

 axillary tufts of short leafy branches. Flowers axillary, solitary, and 

 terminal, sessile, of a pink colour. Calyx tubular, with a short five 

 toothed limb, smooth, with five pink elevated ribs, and five smooth 

 furrows. Corolla of five petals, with a roundish ovate limb, and a 

 tapering claw as long as the calyx tube. Stamens with awl-shaped 

 filaments, as long as the tube. Anthers small, two celled. Style slen- 

 der, as long as the stamens, with a downy spreading three-cleft stigma- 



Habitat. — Sea Coast, Sussex. — Mr. Brevier, Dillenius. Between 

 Bognor and Brighthelmston. — Hudson. 



Annual ; flowering in July. 



This species is found common on the shores of many parts of the 

 Mediterranean, and introduced from the above authorities; but it does 

 not appear to have been lately found as an inhabitant of our coasts. 



GENUS III. PE'PLIS.— Linn. Purslane, 



Nat. Ord. Lythba'rie^. Juss, dict. 



Gen. Char. C'a^y.r campanulate, with six large erect teeth, and six 

 small alternate spreading ones. Petals six, small, or wanting. 



