Statice. PLUMB AGIN ACE^). 465 



Sandhills of the desert bordering the head of the Gulf of California, around Adair Bay, in the 

 Mexican State of Sonora ; " very abundant in the hills, the whole plant except the top buried in 

 the sand, apparently attached to some other root or substance," Col. A. B. Gray. Eaten by the 

 Papago Indians, after roasting or drying in the sun ; the fresh plant " when cooked luscious, 

 resembling the sweet potato in taste, only more delicate," according to the discoverer. The 

 locality is not far below the borders of the State. 



ORDER LVI. PLUMBAGINACE^E. 



Chiefly maritime herbs, with the base of the alternate leaves clasping the stem at 

 their insertion, regular flowers with the parts in five throughout, the stamens oppo- 

 site the petals, and the ovary one-celled with a solitary ovule rising from its base. 

 Flowers perfect. Calyx tubular or funnelform, 5-plaited, 5-toothed, persistent. 

 Corolla hypogynous ; in Plumbago gamopetalous and salverforrn ; in our genera 

 5-petalous, with long claws barely united into a ring at base, commonly convolute 

 in the bud. Stamens 5, opposite the petals, adnate to their base : anthers 2-celled, 

 introrse, opening lengthwise. Ovary 5-angled at summit, containing an anatropous 

 ovule hanging from the apex of a long funiculus which rises from the base of the 

 single cell : styles 5, distinct or united into one. Fruit utricular or akene-like, in 

 Ihe bottom of the persistent calyx. Seed with a straight embryo in mealy albumen. 

 Cotyledons flat : radicle short. Leaves mostly entire : stipules none. 



A small and unimportant order, of no active qualities except that the roots are astringent ; 

 chiefly indigenous to the Old World ; the genus Plumbago, of warm climates, with gamopetalous 

 corolla, furnishing some ornamental species for cultivation, is partly shrubby : the native North 

 American species are merely one Thrift, and one Marsh- Rosemary. 



1. Armeria. Flowers in a globose head, on a simple scape. 



2. Statice. Flowers paniculate or corymbose on a branching stem or scape. 



1. AEMERIA, Willd. THRIFT. 



Flowers in a single globose head (composed of numerous glomerate spikelets each 

 subtended by a scarious bract), which is raised on a scape. Calyx scarious, funnel- 

 form. Corolla of 5 nearly distinct long-clawed petals, each with a stamen attached 

 to its base. Styles 5, filiform, united only at the very base, delicately plumose 

 below, stigmatose above along the inner side. Utricle at length bursting irregularly 

 at base. Stemless perennials ; with narrow linear persistent leaves in close tufts, 

 the naked scape with a reversed sheath under the head : flowers rose-color. 



1. A. vulgaris, Willd. Leaves flat, 1 -nerved : bracts very obtuse, the outer- 

 most often mucronate : lobes of the calyx abruptly mucronate-pointed. Statice 

 Armeria, Linn. 



On hills and beaches, along the coast : a tall form, with scapes a foot or two high, and rather 

 rigid leaves (A. andina, var. Califomica, Boissier in DC. Prodr. xii. 682), apparently most like a 

 Chilian form of a widely diffused and considerably variable species, common in the Old World ; 

 by some carefully discriminated into several species. 



2. STATICE, Linn., Willd. MARSH-ROSEMARY. 



Flowers in small spikes or clusters crowded at the extremities of a branching 

 scape ; their structure nearly as in Armeria. Styles glabrous, distinct : introrse 

 stigmas shorter, sometimes terminal. Utricle indehiscent. Leaves commonly with 

 a broad coriaceous blade tapering below into a petiole. 



