747 



plored botanically by myself and others. The genus Schoberia has 

 been properly separated from Chenopodium by the spiral embryo and 

 want of albumen, as well as by the great difference in habit, in both 

 which it approaches Salsola. Yet it is remarkable, that whilst Smith 

 removed Sch. fruticosa from Chenopodium to Salsola, he retained S. 

 maritima amongst the Chenopodia, and so very unnaturally separated 

 generically two plants having the most intimate specific relationship. 

 The seeds of Schoberia maritima are horizontal, thrice as large as in 

 Schoberia fruticosa, orbicular-reniform, considerably flattened, with a 

 somewhat indistinct border, purplish black, shining, and very finely 

 and copiously reticulate-striate. In Schoberia fruticosa the seeds are 

 vertical, nearly globose, scarcely, if at all compressed, without a bor- 

 der, jet black, exquisitely polished, and, under a high magnifier only, 

 appearing faintly reticulated. In both species the embryo is equally 

 spiral, surrounding but little or no albumen. Moquin-Tandon in his 

 ' Monographia Chenopodearum ' places both our native species of 

 Schoberia in the genus Sueda, but in different sections, whilst, in his 

 later arrangement of the order Salsolacere, forming Part 13 of Decan- 

 dolle's Prodromus, he disunites them again generically, as Smith had 

 done, placing Schoberia fruticosa, as before, in Sueda, and transferring 

 Schoberia maritima to his own new genus Chenopodina, mainly on 

 account of the horizontal position of the seeds, which in the other is 

 vertical, as we have just now seen. But the intimate alliance between 

 these two species proves how artificial is the generic character found- 

 ed on the position of the seed, which in some Chenopodiums, for in- 

 stance, C. glaucum, is vertical in the lateral and horizontal in the 

 terminal flower of each cluster. 



Salsola Kali. On sandy sea-shores ; frequent in the few localities 

 fitted for its production in the Isle of Wight, and I believe along the 

 coast of the county generally. Plentiful on Bembridge and St. He- 

 len's Spits. Sandown Bay ; Mr. E. Lees in New Bot. Guide Suppl. 

 (I am not sure of having seen it there myself). Very abundantly 

 along the south shore of Hayling Island, if I recollect right, and in 

 Portsea Island, but I quote from memory, finding no entry amongst 

 my notes to that effect of a plant so generally common as this. I did 

 not remark it, however, on the sand-hills at Christchurch Head, or 

 on the shore to the eastward of Muddiford, both which stations I 

 found unusually deficient even in the commoner sea-side plants. 



Chenopodium olidum. In dry waste places about towns and vil- 

 lages, and especially at the foot of walls and amongst rubbish, but 

 certainly not common in Hants. Very rare in the Isle of Wight. 



