4 ENGLISH BOTANT. 



it is very similar in size and shape to that of S. friiticosa, but more 

 distinctly beaked, and very faintly marked with short stria?, and the 

 colour is rather pitchy than black. Plant pale glaucous green, often 

 turnin'T red or purple towards the close of the year. The erect variety 

 is more common in the south, the procumbent in the north ; but it is 

 Bcurcely possible to draw any line of demarcation between them. 



Annual Seahlite. 



French, Sucda maritime. German, Mcerstrands Gdnscfusschen. 



GENUS //— S A L S O L A. Li?2?i. Gdrt. 



Flowers all perfect. Calyx free from the ovary, of 5 sepals (very 

 rarely 4), on the back of each of which a transverse dorsal wing is 

 developed after flowering. Stamens 5, rarely 3; filaments linear, 

 often dilated and united at the base. Styles 2 or 3, often united at 

 the base. Fruit membranous, rarely slightly fleshy, enveloped in the 

 calyx, which has 5 membranous wings spreading like a star. Seed 

 horizontal, subglobose; testa single, membranous; albumen none; 

 embryo green, coiled in a spiral. 



Herbs with semicylindrical fleshy leaves, generally recurved and 

 prickly at the apex. Flowers axillary, sessile. 



The name of this genus of plants is derived from the Latin words sal, salt, and 

 solus, alone, from its saline qualities. 



SPECIES I.— S ALSO LA EALL Linn. 

 Plate MCLXXX. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 841. 



Stem diffusely branched, procumbent or ascending; branches not 

 articulated. Leaves alternate, sessile, subcylindrical, attenuated into 

 subulate spinous points, very fleshy. Flowers solitary or 2 or 3 to- 

 gether in the axils of the leaves, arranged in spikes at the termination 

 of the branches, which are usually so disposed as to form a panicle. 

 Bracts lanceolate, with subulate spinous points. Segments of the fruit 

 perianth generally with a large scarious transverse wing on the back, 

 or more rarely with the wing minute. Plant (in the form which 

 occurs in Britain) with the stem and margins of the leaves clothed 

 with cartilaginous spreading hairs. 



On sandy seashores. Common, and generally distributed. 



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

 Root wiry. Stem much branched, especially from the base, generally 



