142 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



the taste and smell of the Swiss schabzieger or clia])segar, which is so highly esteemed. 

 In the geuuiue cheese it is produced by the pressed flowers or bruistd seeds ol the 

 Melilotits officinalis. 



GENUS XXIV— R I T H M U M. Linn. 



Calyx-limb obsolete. Petals oval, entire, involute, valvate. 

 Cremocarp somewhat corky, oblong-ovoid, not compressed ; colu- 

 mella free, bipartite ; mericarps with 5 prominent sharply-keeled 

 ridges, the lateral ones a little broader and marginal ; interstices 

 with several vitta?. Involucres and involucels many-leaved. 



A glabrous perennial, having ternately decompound leaves, 

 with thick linear fleshy segments, and compound umbels of small 

 pale greenish-yellow flowers. 



The origin of the name of this genus of plants is the Greek word Kpivo (Jcrino), I 

 secrete, from its power of promoting various secretions ; or, as some writers give it, 

 from Kptdq {krithe), barley, to which the fruit has some similarity. 



SPECIES I.-CIIITHMUM M ARITIMUM. Linn. 



Plate DCVI. 



Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XXI. Tab. 1900. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 1679. 



The only species of the genus. 



On cliflPs by the sea-shore, more rarely on shingly or sandy 

 beaches. Not uncommon on the South and Western coasts from 

 Kent to Ayrshire. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer 

 and Autumn. 



Pootstock woody, elongated, branched. Stem ascending, 6 

 inches to 1 foot high, flexuous, fleshy, solid, smooth, green, finely 

 striate. Petioles much dilated and sheathing at the base, so 

 that they might best be described as having adnate membranous 

 stipules. Leaves deltoid in outline, pinnate with 2 pairs of lateral 

 leaflets, or ternate with leaflets again ternate or biteruate ; primary 

 leaflets rarely simple ; ultimate leaflets fleshy, nearly cylindrical, 

 tapering at each extremity, or narrowly elliptical, mucronate, f to 

 2 inches long. Umbel of 8 to 20 rather thick rays, slightly curving 

 inwards, J to \\ inch long ; pedicels J- to J inch long, curved inwards. 

 Involucre and involucels of numerous ovate-triangular leaves, with 

 sub-scarious margins, at length reflexed. Plowers ^2 inch across, 

 pale yellowish-green ; 'petals ovate, involute, caducous. Cremo- 

 carp "J inch long, oval-ovoid, corky, olive-colour or purplish, with 

 narrow very acute ridges, formed by the gradual elevation of the 



