i 7 6 FLOWERS OF THE SEA-COAST 



thus fall on the stigma self-pollination may occur. The flowers are 

 scented. Two honey-glands, as in Sea Kale, lie at the base of the 

 long and short stamens respectively. It is also visited by numerous 

 insects. There is as much chance of cross-pollination in this plant 

 as in the Sea Kale. The flowers, white and purple, are about the 

 same size, but the stigma is stalkless, and there is little to prevent 

 self-pollination as it is below the anthers. 



The Sea Rocket is dispersed by its own special mechanism. The 



Photo. Messrs. Flatters & Garnett 



SEA ROCKET (Cakile maritima, Scop.) 



pods do not open, but drop off, and the seeds germinate around the 

 parent plant. 



Sea Rocket is a halophyte or salt-lover, and requires a saline soil, 

 growing generally on sandy coasts, and is thus a sand-loving plant. 



The Sand Dart (Agrotis ripce) is the only moth which feeds upon 

 it in the caterpillar stage, and a beetle, Psylliodes marcida. 



Linnaeus adopted the name Cakile from Serapion. Cakile is said 

 to be the Arabic name of the plant, but the significance (as applied to 

 this plant) is unknown, while the Latin maritima refers to the plant's 

 habitat 



Its English name Sea Rocket is the only one. It was reputed 

 to be cathartic by the old botanical writers. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



39. Cakile maritima, Scop. A bushy plant with glaucous, fleshy 



