82 PLUMBAGINE^— THRIFT TEIBE 



is very distinct. It is also by various writers termed S. spaihulaia, or 

 S. auricukefolia. It grows on rocks and clift's on the east coast from Lincoln 

 to Kent, and on the west from Wigton to Cornwall : also in Ireland and the 

 Channel Isles, but it is not frequent. When walking under the cliffs at 

 Dover, or among the paths which intersect those stupendous heights, we may, 

 in July and August, find it in abundance, sometimes at our feet, or within 

 reach of the hand, or sometimes forming tufts over the summits, beside the 

 nests of the sea-birds. It is easily known from the species already described, 

 by its spathulate leaves, and by its small size. The lea^'es are of a pale sea- 

 green hue, rather thick, and waved at the edges, with a strong midrib, and 

 two, or sometimes four, nearly parallel ribs reaching to within a third of the 

 top of the leaf, which is tipped with a small spine. They form a spreading 

 tuft around the base of the panicled stalk, which is rarely more than half a 

 foot high, branched below the middle into several forked erect tufts of pretty 

 bluish-lilac flowers, with deep pink bracts. 



Mr. G. E. Smith, in his "Flora of South Kent," says of this plant, "This 

 species, so long overlooked as distinct from S. limoiiiimi, notwithstanding the 

 decision of Cerarde and Ray, the careful record of localities, and cultivation 

 for above a hundred years in the Chelsea, and long since in the Oxford 

 garden, appears under as great a variety of names as a Spanish grandee." He 

 adds that the most obvious character is presented by the leaves, and by 

 the structure of the calyx. This is for half its length membranous, and is 

 closed after flowering, in which respect it differs from S. Umonium ; which, 

 having the hard ribs continuous nearly to the summit of the calyx, exhibits 

 that part expanded after flowering. 



This little plant, like the common Sea Lavender, is destitute of perfume, 

 but retains the hue and form of its flowers long after gathering, and much of 

 the tint remains even through the winter. Visitors from inland places are 

 generally attracted by these sea-side flowers, and such large numbers of the 

 plant are ruthlessly torn up from favourite seaside resorts every summer, 

 that one wonders that it is not Avholly extirpated. Mingled, however, Avith 

 the carline thistles, and some of the grasses from the cliff or meadow, with a 

 branch or two of the prickly sea holly, it serves for a winter ornament, and 

 may awaken a pleasant memory of the by -gone summer walk, and the look 

 or tone of friendship. If the capsule of scarlet berries which the wild blue 

 iris bears on its stalk in autumn be added to the group, a permanent bouquet 

 may be formed, scarcely less beautiful than that of svmimer flowers. 



Some botanists follow the division made by Boissier of the S. hinenosa 

 into two species, S. doclartii and S. occidentalis ; the former having no sterile 

 branches, and the latter having the few lowest branches sterile. The authors 

 of "The British Flora," however, remark that they find every intermediate 

 form among their British specimens. 



4. Matted Thrift {S. mspia). — Leaves somewhat wedge-shaped, 

 narrowed into a footstalk ; stalks branched from near the base with 

 numerous slender zig-zag branches, repeatedly and acutely forked, the 

 uppermost alone bearing terminal spikes of 2 — -S-flowered, two-ranked 

 spikelets ; calyx segments egg-shaped, tapering suddenly and toothed ; 

 perennial. This is a very rare species of Sea La\ender, found on the muddy 



