i86 



FLOWERS OF THE SEA-COAST 



Wigtown, Ayr, or generally from Ayr southwards, and on all the Irish 

 coasts. 



Samphire is a maritime plant which grows on the rocky south and 

 west coasts, where also are to be found Yellow Horned Poppy, Scurvy 

 Grass, Sea Campion, Thrift, Sea Lavender, Sea Plantain, Saltwort, 

 and other salt-lovers. It is found on stone walls as well as on rocks. 



Like many other maritime species, Samphire is a fleshy plant with 

 a more or less shrubby habit, compact, with suberect, branching stems. 

 The leaves are several times divided with leaflets each side of a 



SAMPHIRE (Crithmum maritimum, L.) 



Photo. Flatters & Garnett 



common stalk, linear lance-shaped, fleshy to succulent, acute above 

 and below, and triangular. The leaf-stalks are short but stout, with 

 long membranous sheaths. 



The flowers, which are highly odorous, are white or yellow, in 

 umbels with involucres, with lance -shaped, acute leaves, flat, and 

 with stout peduncles. The bracts are spreading, small, and acute. 

 There are no calyx-teeth, the petals are very small and soon drop. 



In the Samphire the fruits are oblong, like barley, whence the first 

 Greek name (latinized). 



The plant is about i ft. or 18 in. high. It flowers from July to 

 September. It is a deciduous, herbaceous perennial, multiplied by 

 division. 



The flowers are small, white, with minute petals with a long point, 

 turned inwards, soon dropping, and with short styles. The plant is 



