Chenopodiurn.~\ cxvu. CHENOPODIACE^E. (J. D. Hooker.) 5 



sinuate-toothed upper entire, clusters in slender axillary and terminal simple 

 or panicled spikes, sepals enclosing the utricle, seed horizontal smooth 

 shining margin obtuse. Wall. Cat. t. 6956; Moq. in DC. Prodr. xiii. 2. 

 72; Boiss. Fl. Orient, iv. 904 ; Wight Ic. t. 1786; Dalz. fy Gibs. Bomb. FL 

 Suppl. 73. C. vulpinum, Wall. Cat. 6954 B. 



BENGAL, SILHKT and the DECCAN; Wallich, Heyne, &c.~ DISTEIB. Widely 

 spread in the Old World, introduced into America. 



Usually a tall rank aromatic much-branched plant, easily distinguished by the 

 loug slender spikes of small clusters. Wight remarks that the flowers are polygamous 

 at Coimbatore. 



*** Scentless kerbs. Sepals L-3, succulent, baccate in fruit. JEmbryo 

 imperfectly annular. 



8. C. Blitum, Hoolc.f. in Gen. Plant. 52; glabrous, erect or ascend- 

 ing, leaves petioled triangular hastate or deltoid and cordate acuminate 

 deeply acutely unequally toothed, clusters sessile axillary and in terminal 

 leafy spikes, perianth baccate not enclosing the utricle, seed vertical 

 smooth margin obtuse. Blitum virgatum, Linn. Sp. PI. 4 ; Boiss. Fl. 

 Orient, iv. 905; Moq. in DC. Prodr. xiii. 2. 83; Lamk. Ill t. 5 ; Bot. 

 Mag. t. 276. 



N.W. INDIA; Kashmir, alt. 8500 ft. WESTERN TIBET, alt. 12-14,000 ft., 

 Thomson, &c. DISTEIB. Europe, N. and W. Asia, N. Africa. 



Stem 1-3 ft., rather stout, white. Leaves 1-3 in., brigbt green ; petiole slender, 

 shorter or longer than the blade. Clusters \-^ iu. diam. Stamen 1. Seed 

 opaque. 



3. BETA, Linn. 



Succulent herbs. Leaves alternate, subentire. Flowers 2-sexual, soli- 

 tary or in axillary spiked or cymose clusters. Perianth urceolate, 5-lobed, 

 cohering in fruit by their enlarged hardened bases. Stamens 5. Disk 

 fleshy, annular. Ovary depressed, sunk in the disk ; style short, stigmas 

 2-4 subulate. Utricle adnate to the disk and base of perianth. Seed 

 horizontal, testa thin, albumen floury ; embryo annular. Species 2 (or 

 6-8), N. Asiatic and European. 



B. vulgar is, Linn. Sp. PL 222; annual or perennial, glabrous, root- 

 leaves ovate or oblong obtuse base.cuneate or cordate cauline rhombic ovate 

 oblong obovate or lanceolate, spikes slender panicled, flowers sessile solitary 

 or 2-3-nate, bracts narrow acute, sepals oblong obtuse thickened at the base 

 in fruit. Moq. in DC. Prodr. xiii. 2. 55 ; Boiss. FL Orient, iv. 898; Lamk. 

 Encycl. t. 182 ; Grah. Cat. Bomb. PL 171 ; Dalz. # Gibs. Bomb. Fl. Suppl. 

 73. B. benghalensis, Boxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 59 ; Wall. Cat. 6948. B. orientalis, 

 Both Nov. Sp. 181, 



Cultivated in various parts of INDIA. 



Stem 1-3 ft., erect, furrowed. Lower leaves 1-10 in., often trowel-shaped, base 

 decurrent on the petiole, margin waved, upper short incurved. Spikes 6-18 in. 

 slender; clusters remote. Sepals with membranous margins. Beet. 



4. SPXNACXA, Linn. 



Annual herbs. Leaves attenuate. Flowers dioecious, ebracteate, males 

 in terminal leafless spikes; females in axillary clusters. MALE fl. Sepals 

 4-5, herbaceous, simple. Stamens 4-5, filaments capillary. FEU. fl. 



