288 



tnnicate, margins entire or rarely sinuato-dentate ; in the intermediate leaves the la- 

 teral lobes are ascending, the base wedge-shaped, and one or two teeth are generally to 

 be found above the lobes ; the uppeimost leaves are lanceolate and entire, gradually 

 decreasing until they become very small nearly linear bracteas : all the leaves, as well 

 as the other parts of the plant more or less clothed with mealiness. Spikes terminal 

 and axillary, numerous, slightly branched, clusters small and distinct, as in Atr. patu- 

 la and angustifolia. Valves of the calyx of the fruit cordate-triangular, often scarcely 

 longer than broad, and but just covering the seed, sometimes more nearly cordate, 

 rarely much elongated and with two prominent angles between the lateral ones and the 

 apex. The valves are often unsymmetrical in form, usually slightly toothed. Seeds 

 black, smooth, shining, small. " ' Bouch. Fl. Alb. 76 ;' DC. Fl. Fr. iii. 387 ; Bot. 

 Gall. 398; Lois. Fl. Gall. (ed. 2.) i. 218. A. triangularis, Willi. Sp. PI. iv. 965 i* 

 Reich. 578 ? A. latifolia, Wahl. 660 ? Drej. Fl. Hafn. 107 ? " 



Common on the sea-coast. Annual. August to October. 



There appears to be much uncertainty respecting this plant. None 

 of the descriptions of the authors referred to exactly agree with it, al- 

 though those of Wahlenberg and Drejer's Atr. latifolia come nearer 

 than any others. Mr. Babington, considering our plant to be identi- 

 cal with DeCandolle's Atr. prostrata, notwithstanding the imperfect 

 description, has preferred adopting that name rather than to " intro- 

 duce another species into this difficult genus." 



6. Atriplex patula, Linn. Stem erect, quadrangular, striated ; branches ascend- 

 ing. Lower leaves ovate-hastate, toothed, lobes horizontal ; upper leaves lanceolate, 

 usually entire. Spikes terminal and axillary, long, wand-like ; clusters of flowers nu- 

 merous, distinct. Valves of the calyx of the fruit rhomboidal triangular, often entire, 

 usually slightly muricated on the back, lateral angles obtuse; much longer than the 

 fruit. Seeds opaque, rough, often tinged with red. " Linn. 1494 ! Sm. Eng. Bot. 

 936 ! Eng. Fl. iv. 257; Reich. 577 ; Bluff et Fing. 445 ; Wallr. Sched. 115 ; Fl. Alt. 

 310 ; DC. Fl. Fr. v. 370 ; Bab. Prim. 83. A. hastata, Huds. 443 ; With. 274. A. 

 latifolia, ^. elatior, Wahl. 660." 



Common throughout the country. Annual. June to October. 



This plant is very variable in luxuriance ; in a rich soil the calyx- 

 valves often take the character of leaves, and then "several sets of 

 apparent calyces are found w^ithin each other, with one or more en- 

 larged fruits inclosed in them." Attention must also be paid to the 

 characters of Atr. angustifolia, prostrata, deltoidea, microsperma and 

 rosea, in order to avoid confounding them with the present species. 



7. Atriplex microsperma, Walds. et Kit. Stem erect or ascending, striated, angu- 

 lar ; branches ascending. Leaves opposite ; lower ones ovate-hastate, toothed, lobes 

 prominent, horizontal ; upper leaves small, linear-lanceolate, almost awl-shaped, very 

 acute, entire, with a prominent, acute, horizontal lobe on each side of the truncate 

 base. Flowers in small, close clusters, forming on the stem a compound, branched, 

 terminal panicle; on the branches they take the form of branched spikes. Valves of 



