162 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



produced into a long slender macro. Scapes 3 inches to 2 feet high, 

 generally commencing to branch about the middle, destitute of ordi- 

 nary leaves, but with a few bract-like scales at intervals, and at the 

 base of the branches. Spikes |- to 1^ inch long. Spikelets all pointing 

 upwards, but inserted alternately on opposite sides of the rachis, each 

 with 3 bracteoles, of which the outer one is broadly herbaceous on the 

 back, pointed and indistmctly keeled, or sometimes rounded on the 

 back, with white scarious margins ; the inner or mtermediate one nearly 

 wholly scarious and white, and about the same length as the outer; 

 the thu'd or iimei'most (which is directly above the outer one) is twice 

 as long, and with a large herbaceous portion on the back, but broadly 

 white and scarious on the apex and margins. The calyx is funnel- 

 shaped, Avith 5 ribs; the limb scarious, white, generally tinged with 

 bluish-purple at the time of flowering ; the segments plaited. Corolla 

 f inch long; petals oblanceolate, obtuse, bright purplish-blue. Fruit 

 shorter than the calyx limb, the summit marked with 5 projecting 

 radiating lines. 



I am unable to distinguish Mediterranean specimens of S. " sero- 

 tina," Gren. & Godr.^ from those collected by myself at Northfleet on 

 the banks of the Thames, and others which have been sent me from 

 various parts of the southern coast; but I believe these specimens 

 differ from the ordinary form merely m luxuriance, and that the more 

 luxuriant the plant is, the more lax and pyramidal the panicle becomes : 

 in visiting the same station in difl^erent years I have observed that 

 when the salt marsh was drier than usual, the panicle liad a tendency 

 to revert to the commoner form. The plant distributed by Reichenbach, 

 and figured as S. serotina by the younger ReichenlDach in the Icones 

 Flora3 Germanica?, is Boissier's S. Liraonium, var. macroclada, which 

 seems to have mvich better claims to be considered distinct, as a sub- 

 species of S. Limonium, but this appears to be quite a southern form, 

 though often confounded with the "\-ariety described above. 



Great Sea Lavender. 



French, Siaiice Limonium. German, ilchter Wiederstoss. 



This is araong the very few handsome flowers of the sea coast, and is often 

 gathered from the muddy shore or salt marsh to deck the winter nosegay ; for it 

 retains its form and colour for many months, owing to the di'y nature of its lovely 

 flowers, which seem made of a delicate membrane. It is of an astringent nature, and 

 may be advantageously employed when medicines of that kind are indicated. 



(?) Sub-species IL— Statice Bahusiensis. Fries. 



Plate MCLVIII. 



Bolch, Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVn. Tab. MCXL. Fig. 2. 



S. Limonium, Linn. Herb. (!) 



S. Limonium, var. Bentli. Handbk. Brit. Fl. ed. ii. p. 377. 



Leaves oblanceolate or strapshaped-oblanceolate. Scapes branched 

 in the upper half or two-thirds. Spikelets 1- or 2-flowcrcd, arranged 



