10 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



of tho root or by seed: tho latter is the most convenient plan; tho fruit generally 

 ripenin- in f^reat abundauco. It is abundant on the southern coast on a chalky soil : 

 in tho "garden it will grow almost" anywhere. In Ireland the leaves are often col- 

 lected and eaten as food, but little use is made of the plant on our own shores. 



GENUS F.— CHE NOP ODIUM. Linn. 



Flowers perfect, or rarely polygamous. Calyx free from the ovary, 

 of 5, more rarely of 3 or 4, sepals slightly united at the base. Stamens 

 5, or fewer by abortion, inserted at the base of the calyx. Styles 2, 

 more rarely 3, often united at the base. Fruit membranous, enveloped 

 in the connivent calyx segments, which do not alter in fruit. Seed 

 horizontal or more rarely vertical, lenticular, with a crustaceous testa; 

 albumen farinaceous; embryo peripherical. 



Herbs of various habit, the leaves generally alternate, ovate or rhom- 

 bic or triangular-rhombic. Flowers in giomerules collected into spikes, 

 wdiich are commonly arranged in panicles. 



Tho namo of this genus of plants comes from tho Greek words x^]v, a goose, and 

 TTovQ, TToSoc, a foot, fcom its supposed resemblance. 



Section I.— EU-CHENOPODIUM. Gren, and Godr, 

 All the flowers 5-merous. Seeds all horizontal. 



SPECIES I— CHE NO PODIUM POLYSPERMUM. Ijirm, 

 Plates MCLXXXV. MCLXXXVI. 



Stem decumbent or erect, much branched. Leaves ovate or oval, 

 entire, or rarely with a single lateral tooth on each side near the base, 

 obtuse or acute. Flowers in minute giomerules or solitary, arranged 

 in lax ascending-erect terminal and lateral spikes, or small spread- 

 ino- axillary forked cymes ; the former leafy towards the base, the latter 

 leafless ; spikes or cymes combined into long lax slender terminal 

 panicles, which are leafy except the apex. Fruit calyx with the seg- 

 ments not keeled, not nearly covering the fruit. Seeds all horizontal, 

 minute, shining,* roughened with small points. Plant destitute of 

 wliite meal. 



* In examining the seeds of this genus, the tyro must bo careful to rub off the 

 investing pericarp, which givxjs a dim appearance to the seeds, even when they are 

 really shining. 



