196 BRITISH LEPIGONA. [/^^U, 



Subdiv. II. Seeds smooth, usually winged. 

 Sect, A.. AnnualSy like L. salinum. 



7. Lepigonum salinum, Presl. Stems compressed^ thickened 

 at the joints. Leaves somewhat fleshy, often curved, linear- 

 filiform, a little widened upwards from a narrow base, bluntish, 

 or awl-shaped, green in colour. Stipules broadly ovate, trian- 

 gular, usually entire, dirty-white. Peduncles supported by leaves, 

 short, hardly twice as long as the fruited capsule. Sepals ob- 

 long, bluntish, slightly bordered with membrane. Petals oblong, 

 bluntish, shorter than the calyx, whitish, sometimes rose at the 

 top. Capsule of middle size, half as long again as the calyx, 

 ovate, bluntish. Seeds subrotund compressed, often winged, 

 furnished with a raised border. Panicle usually lengthened into 

 leafy racemes. 



In the neighbourhood of the sea, throughout Europe. 



Sect. B. Perennials, like L. marinura. 



8. Lepigonum marinum, Wahlberg. Stems compressed, thick- 

 ened at the joints. Leaves semi-round, sometimes curved, sub- 

 linear-filiform, bluntish or awl-shaped, green in colour. Stipules 

 short, broadly ovate, abruptly pointed, usually entire, little 

 shining. Panicle without leaves. Peduncles twice as long as 

 the capsule. Sepals oblong-ovate, rather pointed, slightly mem- 

 branous at their edges, furnished on the back with a short 

 slender nerve. Petals broadly ovate, obtuse, about equalling the 

 calyx, whitish, rose at the top. Capsule very large, about twice 

 as long as the calyx, ovate or broadly ovate, obtuse. Seeds 

 compressed or flat, subrotund, winged, furnished with a slightly 

 raised border. 



In salt places, especially near the sea, throughout Europe; 

 also in Northern Africa, America, and Tasmania. 



Obs. — A plant found in Gothland, on the shores of the Baltic, 

 has been distinguished, on account of its close panicle, oblong 

 sepals, and wingless seeds, as a species under the name of L. 

 fasciculare, but is probably nothing more than a less luxuriant 

 form of L. marinum. L. macrorhizum is a Mediterranean spe- 

 cies, characterized by its imbricated leaves, by its stipules being 

 half as long as the leaves, its capsule shorter than the calyx, and 

 by its wingless, compressed, roundish seeds. 



