144 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



inhabit deserts, sea-shores and steppes, and exhibit 

 adaptations to dry conditions, with reduced leaf- 

 surface, etc. 



The group is related to the Pink group, the Purs- 

 lane group and the Sea Heath group. 



These plants are small trees, shrubs, or herbaceous 

 plants. The leaves are alternate, small, scale-like, 

 overlapping, clasping at the base, cricoid, without 

 stipules. The flowers are either solitary or in 

 racemes, or panicled in axillary spikes, without brac- 

 teoles. They are regular and hypogynous. The 

 calyx consists of four or five sepals, which are over- 

 lapping in bud, and is persistent. There are five or 

 four petals, inserted at the base of the calyx, distinct 

 or united below. The stamens are as many as the 

 petals or twice as many or indefinite, distinct or 

 united by the stalks, inserted on the disc, and the 

 anthers are versatile. 



The disc is hypogynous or slightly perigynous, 

 wath ten honey-glands. The ovary is not attached to 

 the calyx, and is one- or two- to five-celled. 



There are two to five styles distinct or united at 

 the base, or absent, in which case the stigmas (two 

 to five) are sessile. There are few or numerous 

 ovules. The capsule is two- to five-valved. The 

 seeds are erect, winged or crowned with a tuft of 

 hairs. 



There is a Mediterranean species which yields a 

 sugar-like substance, which is called Manna by the 

 Arabs. As halophytes, several members of the 



