1 92 FLOWERS OF THE SEA-COAST 



Thrift (Statice maritima, Mill.) 



The pretty tufted Thrift is found in the Northern Temperate and 

 Arctic Zones in Arctic Europe, Asia, N. America, and also in Chili. 

 While thus a northern plant it has not been found to belong to any of 

 the ancient deposits so far. It occurs on all the coasts of Great 

 Britain, except those of estuaries in Middlesex and Lanark, and in 

 the Highlands at the height of 3800 ft. 



Thrift is a typical maritime species, which is perhaps more common 

 on the west than the east coast, preferring rocks and stony shores to 

 sandy or muddy districts. It is also to be found in Scotland at high 

 elevations or mountain heights inland, where the same moist humid 

 conditions exist that are prevalent at the seaside, so that it cannot 

 strictly be regarded as always a salt-lover. 



As with Sea Lavender the flowering stalks of Thrift are the only 

 aerial stems, and are scapes. The leaves are all radical, linear lance- 

 shaped, flat, blunt, and fringed with hairs at the margin, with one vein, 

 and fleshy. The plant has a tufted habit. 



The flowers are reddish-pink, and are borne on the scapes, which 

 are downy and rounded. The outer calyx, or involucral whorl of 

 leaflike organs of brownish, membranous bracts, is very characteristic, 

 bracts coming also between the flowers. The hairs on the scape are 

 spreading or turned back. The calyx has 5 downy ribs with acute 

 segments, and the tube is hairy. 



The plant is about 6 in. in height. It is in flower from May till 

 July. It is a deciduous, herbaceous plant, increased by division. 



The flowers are scented. The calyx is 5 mm. in length, and is 

 violet above, strengthened by 5 shortly-toothed ribs. Hairs line the 

 tube and so protect the honey. The anthers are above the latter, and 

 in the centre are the 5 stigmas, which take the place of the former, 

 moving to the margin, and the anthers become central. The stigmas 

 make a spiral turn, and so touch the anthers. 



The flower is conspicuous, more so than Limonium, to which other- 

 wise it has some affinity. As the anthers open, the anther-stalks curve 

 inwards, bringing the anthers immediately above the depressed centre 

 of the stigma, on which they shed their pollen; the flower is thus 

 normally self-pollinated. 



The achenes are provided with a parachute-like wing, a persistent 

 membranous calyx, to aid in wind dispersal. 



This plant is a salt-lover requiring a saline soil, but it is also a rock 



