PLUMBAGINACEJE. 



Nat. syst. ed. 2. p. 269. 



STATICE. 



Flowers in panicled spikes. Calyx plaited, scarious. Corolla 

 deeply 5-parted. Stamens inserted into the base of the corolla. 

 Utricle 1 -seeded, enclosed in the calyx. 



976. S. caroliniana Walter fl. carol. 118. Bigelow med. lot. 

 ii. t. 25. Common in the salt marshes of the United States, 

 where it is called " Marsh Rosemary." 



Root perennial, large, fleshy, fusiform or branched. Leaves narrow- 

 obovate, on long petioles, smooth, veinless, obtuse, mucronated, level 

 and flat on the margin, in which respect they differ from S. Limonium, 

 which is undulated. Scape round, smooth, slightly scaly, flexuose 

 terminated by a panicle of numerous branches, which bear the flowers 

 on the upper side only. Flowers alternate, erect, mostly in pairs, but 

 appearing singly in consequence of one expanding before the other. 

 Peduncles short, forked, concealed by several sheathing scales. Calyx 

 funnel-shaped, scarious and pink at the edge, 5-angled, the angles ciliate 

 and ending in long acute teeth with sometimes, not always, minute inter- 

 mediate teeth. Petals spathulate, obtuse, longer than the calyx, pale 

 bluish purple. Stamens inserted in the claws of the petals ; anthers 

 heart-shaped. Ovary small, obovate, with 5 ascending styles shorter 

 than the stamens. Fruit oblong, invested with the persistent calyx. 

 Hoot a most powerful and intense astringent ; chiefly used as a local 

 remedy in aphthae and similar affections of the mouth and fauces; has 

 been employed with success in Cynanche maligna. 



ARMERIA. 



Flowers capitate, surrounded by an imbricated involucre, 

 which is prolonged at the base into a tube. Receptacle palea- 

 ceous. Otherwise the same as Statice. 



977. A. vulgaris Willd. enum. hort. Berol i. 333. R. and S. 

 vi.771 Statice Armeria Willd. sp.pl ii. 1522. Schkuhr. bot. 

 handb. t. 87. S. capitata Lam, fl. fr. iii. 63. Dry sandy 

 places in many parts of Europe, and in Labrador. (Common 

 Thrift.) 



Roots thick, black. Scape 1-2 feet high, rarely rather downy. 

 Leaves radical, somewhat coriaceous, 4-5 inches long, ribbed, entire, 

 smooth, 2-3 lines broad, rather acute, tapering at the base into a 

 channelled petiole. Flowers pale red, or white, in heads the size of a 

 cherry. Sepals usually larger than the flowers. The sheath of the 

 involucre reflexed, an inch long. Segments of the involucre more or 

 less mucronate. Dr. Ebers speaks of the flowers of this plant, vul- 

 479 



