BETA.] CHENOPODIACE^. 315 



anthers 2-celled. Ovary ovoid globose or depressed, 1-celled ; stigmas 2-4 ; 



ovule solitary, basal or lateral, amphitropous. Fruit usually a utricle, 



enclosed in the often enlarged or fleshy calyx. Seed horizontal or vertical, 



testa crustaceous, inner coat membranous, albumen floury, rarely flishy 



or 0; embryo curved annular or spiral. DISTRIB. All climates; genera 70; 



species about 450. AFFINITIES. With Amaranthacece, Caryophyllece, and 



Paronychiece. PROPERTIES. Chiefly known as potherbs. 



TRIBK I. Stem leafy. Albumen copious, floury ; embryo annular. 



Flowers 2-sexual. Disk fleshy. Utricle thick and hard above 1 . Beta. 



Flowers 2-sexual. Disk 0. Utricle membranous 2. Chenopodium. 



Flowers 1-sexual, male 3-5- female 2-sepalous 3. Atriplex. 



TRIBE II. Stem leafless, jointed. Albumen scanty ; embryo conduplicate. 

 Flowers 2-sexual 4. Salicornia. 



TRIBE III. Stem leafy. Albumen scanty, fleshy ; embryo spiral. 



Sepals 4-5, not winged at the back 5. Suseda. 



Sepals 4-5, transversely winged in fruit 6. Salsola. 



1. BE'TA, L, BEET. 

 Herbs. Leaves almost entire. Flowers 2-sexual, in axillary spiked or 



cymose fascicles, cohering in fruit by the enlarged bases of the sepals. 



Calyx urceolate, base indurate in fruit. Stamens 5, perigynous, filaments 



subulate. Disk fleshy, annular. Ovary sunk in the disk, depressed ; 



style short, stigmas 2-4 subulate. Fruit adnate to the disk and calyx-base. 



Seed horizontal, testa thin, albumen floury ; embryo annular. DISTRIB. 



N. temp. Europe and Asia ; species 9. ETYM. Uncertain. 

 1. B. marit'ima, L. ; decumbent, clusters of flowers spiked. 



Muddy, &c. sea-shores, from the Forth southwards, and in Ireland ; fl. 

 June-Oct. Glabrous, perennial. RooMock branched, tapering into a fleshy 

 root. Stems many, 1-2 ft., branched, angular, striped, tips ascending. 

 Leaves 2-4 in., fleshy, shining, lower rhomboid-ovoid, acute ; upper lanceo- 

 late ; petiole broad. Spikes 3-6 in., slender, panicled, clusters 2 3-flowered, 

 sessile; bracts linear-lanceolate, acute, lower ^1 in. ; flowers in. diam., 

 green. Sepals incurved, obtuse, keel entire, edges scarious. DISTRIB. 

 Europe from Denmark southwards, N. Africa, W. Asia to India. Probably 

 the origin of the Beet and. Mangold Wurzel. An excellent spinach. 



2. CHENOPO'DIUM, Tournef. GOOSE-FOOT. 



Erect or prostrate, very variable herbs, usually littoral or on made soil. 

 Stem angled, striped white or red and green. Leaves entire lobed or 

 toothed. Flowers minute, 2-sexual, ebracteolate ; clusters axillary, or 

 in simple or panicled cymes. Sepals 3-5. Stamens 2-5, perigynous, 

 filaments subulate. Disk 0. Ovary free, depressed or compressed ; styles 

 2-3. Utricle membranous, often enclosed by the calyx. Seed horizontal 

 or vertical, testa crustaceous, albumen floury ; embryo annular. DISTRIB. 

 All climates ; species about 50. ETYM. x?i v an( i "fous, goose-foot. 



SECTION 1. Annual. Flowers 5-merous. Styles short. Seeds horizontal. 

 * Leaves quite entire. 



1. C. Vulva'ria, L. ; mealy, diffuse, leaves deltoid -ovate, sepals not 

 keeled covering the utricle. C. olidum, Curtis. 



