308 PLUMB AGINEJE. [STATICK. 



branched. Leaves 2-4 in., oblong- or obovate-lanceolate, variable in breadth. 

 often mucronate, petiole usually slender. Scapes many, 6-18 in., angular, 

 corymbosely branched. Spikelets 2-3-flowered, 5 in., alternate, erect, secund; 

 outer bract herbaceous margins scarious, intermediate scarious, inner sum-i- 

 ons and green at the back. Calyx purplish -green ; lobes triangular-ovate, 

 often jagged, much enlarged after flowering. Corolla % in., blue-purple. 

 DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, N. America. 



Sub-sp. LJMO'NIUM proper ; inner bract about twice as long as the interme- 

 diate. Absent from Ireland. VAR. 1, Be'hen, Drejer (sp.) ; spikelets on 

 corymbose compact or spreading or recurved branches. VAR. 2, seroti'na, 

 Gren. and Godr. (sp. ) ; spikelets in pyramidal panicles with flexuous spread- 

 ing branches. S. coast of England. 



Sub-sp. BAHU'SIENSIS, Fries (sp. ) ; spikelets lax on distant erect or incurved 



branches, inner bract half as long as the intermediate. S. rar! flora, Drejer. 



** Leaves 1-3-nerved. Calyx-lobes without intermediate teeth. 



2. S. auriculsefo'lia, Vahl ; leaves shortly petioled 3-nerved at the 

 base, scape branched from about the middle, branches nearly all flowering, 

 calyx-lobes obtuse. S. spathulata, Hook. ; S. binervosa, G. E. Sm. 

 Sea-shores from Lincoln on the E. and Galloway on the W. southwards ; com- 

 mon in Ireland ; fl. July-Aug. Glabrous. Rootstock short, stout, branched. 

 Leaves 1-4 in., often mucronate. Scapes 4-10 in., paniculately branched; 

 spikelets unilateral, often imbricate ; bracts often coloured, inner twice 

 as long as the intermediate ; flowers as in S. Limonium. Calyx-limb white. 

 Corolla blue-purple. DISTRIB. Coasts of France, Spain, and the Medi- 

 terranean. Boissier (who has examined Vahl's plant) refers this (in 

 Herb. Hook.) to auriculafolia, and in DC. Prodr. he refers the latter to 

 his oxyltpif, 



VAR. 1, occidenta'lis, Lloyd (sp.) ; leaves obovata-lanceolate, branches of panicle 

 ascending, lower sometimes flowerless, spikelets slender erect or ascending. 

 VAR. 2, interme'dia, Syme ; leaves obovate-lanceolate, branches of panicle 

 ascending usually all flowering, spikelets stout spreading or ascending. 

 VAR. 3, Dodai'tii, Gir. ; leaves spathulate, branches of panicle short spread- 

 ing often in pairs all flowering, spikelets crowded stout spreading. 



3. 8. reticula'ta, L. ; leaves shortly petioled 1 -ribbed, scape branched 

 from near the base, branches flexuous most of them flowerless, calyx-lobes 

 mucronate. S. bellidifolia, Gouan ; S. caspia, Willd. 



Salt marshes of the Wash (Norfolk, Cambridge, Lincoln) ; fl. July-Aug. 

 Glabrous, except the scaberulous panicle. RooUtock much branched. Leaves 

 S-l in., few, obtuse. Scape 4-8 in., rather slender, excessively branched ; 

 branches spreading, recurved ; spikelets unilateral, usually fascicled at 

 the ends of the branchlets, bracts with broad scarious margins, inner ^ 

 longer than the intermediate; flowers much smaller than in S. Linxniinin, 

 \ in., pale lilac. DISTKIB. Coasts of France, the Mediterranean and Black 

 Seas, E. Asia. This I take to be the Limonium reticulatum of Ray and 

 Bocconi, who are Linmeus' principal authorities for S. reticulata. 



