CLASS v. ORDER v.] STATICE. 449 



lanceolate, stalked, smooth, with a mid-rib, terminating in a hooked 

 bristle. 



English Botany, t. 102. English Flora, vol. ii. p. 116 Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 148. Lindley, Synopsis, p. 170. 



Root long, branched, tough, and woody. Scape erect, from five to 

 ten inches high, round below, angular above, and much branched in a 

 paniculated manner, and more or less rough, with furrows, and with 

 several lanceolate taper pointed membranous scales, and one at the 

 base of each branch of the panicle. Leaves all arising from the root, 

 very variable in size and luxuriance, from two to four inches long or 

 more, ovate-lanceolate, of a somewhat leathery texture, glaucous green, 

 tapering at the base, obtuse at the apex, with a curved bristly point, 

 formed by the continuation of the margin of the leaf and the mid-rib, 

 channeled above, footstalks broad and short, or long, with a broad 

 base continued along the leaf in a mid-rib, and with several small 

 lateral branched veins. Inflorescence a corymbose panicle, alternately 

 branched, spreading, sometimes recurved. Flowers numerous, imbri- 

 cated, all turned to the upper side, each having at its base about four 

 scales, ovate-lanceolate, with an acute or obtuse point, membranous, or 

 with membranous margins. Calyx funnel-shaped, nearly sessile, the 

 tube short, five ribbed, slightly hairy at the lower part, terminating in 

 five angular teeth of the membranous limb, the margin frequently 

 with small intermediate teeth. Corolla a fine deep blue or purplish 

 pale on the outside, ovate-oblong, obtuse, or slightly notched, tapering 

 at the base into a claw. Stamens arising from the base of the claw, 

 and nearly as long. Anthers small, ovate, yellow. " Pollen with 

 three pellucid dots compressed." Pistils long as the stamens, slender, 

 filiform, smooth. Stigmas rough, with minute papillae. " Germen 

 granulated." Capsule oblong, single seeded, enveloped in the calyx. 



Habitat. Muddy sea shores, and salt marshes; frequent in England 

 and Ireland, rare in Scotland. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



The roots of the Sea Lavender are astringent and tonic, but in a 

 very slight degree. The flowers are inodorous, of a beautiful colour, 

 and resemble in appearance common Lavender (Lavandula spicata.) 



3. S. spathula'ta, Desf. (Fig. 512.) Upright-spiked Thrift. Scape 

 round, branched from below the middle ; panicle elongated ; spikes 

 erect ; calyx with blunt teeth ; leaves spatulate, three ribbed at the 

 base, and a short obtuse point below the apex. 



Sims, in Botanic Magaz. t. 1617. Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 

 149. Lindley, Synopsis, Suppl. p. 327. S. binervosa, Rev. G. E. 

 Smith. In English Botany Suppl. t. 2663. S. Limonium. (3. 

 English Flora, vol. ii. p. 116. Limonium minus. Ray, Synopsis, 

 p. 202. 



Root woody, tapering, branched, crowned at the top with numerous 



