94 ENGLISn BOTANY. 



GENUS IV.— E R Y N G I U M. Linn. 



Calyx-limb of 5 lanceolate teeth. Petals connivent, oblong- 

 obovate, notched, with an inflexed point as long as the petals. 

 Cremocarp cylindric-ovoid or sub-globular, clothed with scales and 

 crowned by the calyx-teeth ; mericarps without ridges or vittse. 



Herbs, often spinescent, with the leaves simple, frequently 

 palmately or pinnately cut or divided. Umbels simple, reduced 

 to many-flowered heads, with spinous involucres and also with 

 spinous bracts beneath each flower. 



The name of this genus of plants has reference to its supposed efficacy in flatulent 

 disorders, and comes from the Greek words epvyyvov {ertujguon), and epwuv {erunehi). 



SPECIES I.— ERYNGIUM MARITIMUM. Linn. 



Plate DLXIX. 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XXI. Tab. 1849. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 2855. 



E-adical leaves stalked, roundish, sub-cordate, not decurrcnt, 

 cut into 3 lobes at the apex, coarsely spinous-serrate, undulated ; 

 upper stem -leaves sessile, sub - amplexicaul, palmately lobed. 

 Involucre of 5 to 7 ovate - rhomboidal spinous-serrate spinous- 

 pointed leaves, longer than the flowers ; bract of each separate 

 flower tricuspid with the lateral spines divaricate, as long as the 

 calyx. 



On sandy sea-shores. E-ather scarce; rare in Scotland, and 

 not extending North of Porfarshire and Argyelshire, except in 

 the outlying locality of Shetland. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer 

 and Autumn. 



Rootstock creeping, emitting subterranean stolons. Stem 6 to 

 18 inches high, thick, solid, trichotomously branched at the summit, 

 and often with solitary alternate branches lower down. Radical 

 leaves on stalks 2 to 7 inches long ; lamina 2 to 5 inches across, 

 usually 3-lobed, with the central lobe much narrower than the 

 lateral lobes, which overlap it ; the margin of the leaf thickened, 

 cartilaginous ; lower stem-leaves shortly stalked, resembling the 

 radical ones ; the others sessile and half embracing the stem, which 

 terminates in a shortly-stalked head, below which it gives off 2 or 

 3 spreading branches, 'all from one point, which is surrounded by a 

 whorl of 3 leaves, — these branches and the central head represent the 

 primary umbel j heads of flowers at first globose, afterwards ovoid. 



