CHENOPODIACE^. 9 



Glomerules with 2 or 3 (rarely 1 or 4) sessile flowers in the axil of 

 strapshaped acuminate foliaceous bracts, arranged in long lax spikes 

 at the apex of the stems and branches. Segments of the perianth 

 incurved in fruit, and with blunt entire keels. Styles 2 or 3. 



By the banks of brackish ditches, and on waste ground, cliiFs, and 

 ehingle by the sea. Eather common, and generally distributed in 

 England. Rare in Scotland; it is said to be found in Orkney and in 

 Shetland, but I have seen no Scotch specimens north of the shores 

 of the Firth of Forth. Generally distributed in Ireland, but rather 

 rare in the north. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Root rarely thicker than a man's thumb, passing insensibly into a 

 many-headed rootstock which produces barren tufts and stems which 

 spread in a circle. Stems angular, generally with only the terminal 

 portion ascending. Radical leaves insensibly attenuated into long 

 petioles, the lamina and petiole together 3 inches to 1 foot or more long, 

 margins repand and somewhat undulated, with a prominent angle in 

 the lower half of the lamina ; stem leaves much smaller, the lowest, 

 including the petiole, rarely more than 3 or 4 inches, the upper 1 inch 

 or less; all of them more or less ileshy. Spikes 3 inches to 1 foot 

 long, generally combined into a panicle, or simple on weak plants. 

 Bracts much longer than the glomerules. Flowers yellowish green. 

 Perianth with the edges of the boatshaped segments scarious. An- 

 thers yellow. Styles generally 2, slender. Base of the perianth en- 

 larged and becoming corky in fruit ; calyx falling off when the fruit 

 is ripe ; the calyces in each giomerule cohering, but generally only 1 or 

 2 fruits in each giomerule are perfected. Leaves sliining, deep green, 

 glabrous, fleshy; stem with green stripes. 



Sea Beet. 



French, Bette maritime. German, Meerstrands Runhelrube. 



This plant is closely allied to the cultivated beet and mangold- wnrzel, which are 

 varieties of a species found wild in the countries of the Mediterranean. If we 

 examine the wild plant, we find some specimens in which the roots and foliage are 

 highly tinctured with a purple colour, whilst others incline to yellowish-green hue. 

 These two varieties are the initiatives of the red and the white beet, and also of the 

 red, white, and orange mangold- wurzel. The wild, or Sea Beet, has a woody root of 

 no value as food for man or cattle ; though from the great changes possible by culti- 

 vation, it seems not improbable that the present plant might be made to furnish soft 

 fleshy roots by long and careful culture, were it worth while to make the experiment. 

 The leaves form an excellent green vegetable, closely resembling spinach in flavour, 

 but much better, while the plant is equally productive, and, being perennial, more 

 easily cultivated. It should be planted in rich soil, and the leaves gathered in suc- 

 cession as they grow : by cutting down the flowering stems a crop may be obtained 

 till late in the autumn. The Beet may be propagated either by division of the crown 

 VOL.. VIII. C 



