WINTEB-GEEEN THEIFT. 237 



flowering time for all this family, though the Wood species 

 appears earlier. 



The Chaffweed (Centiinculus minimus), is a humble sturdy 

 little plant with bright pairs of leaves, in the axils of which 

 tiny red flowers are seated. 



The Chickweed Winter-green (Trientalis europsea, Plate 

 XIV., fig. 8), is a scarce plant in England. It was found in 

 June last by a Hipon botanist at Brimham, and is one of the 

 plants belonging to the Northern Flora of Forbes ; the stem is 

 slender, the pointed leaves in a whorl, from whence the cluster 

 of flower-stalks emerges. Each blossom resembles a small 

 Wood Anemone, but it has seven stamens, and the corolla cloven 

 into seven segments. It is the only British plant with seven 

 stamens, and in Linnaeus's arrangement forms a class by itself. 



Here is the Sea Milkwort (Glaux maritima), which Fanny 

 brought from the salt mud of the Looe River ; it is a fleshy 

 little plant with glaucous oval leaves, in the axils of which 

 bright pink or whitish sessile flowers are placed. There are 

 five stamens, and a corolla of five segments. It flowers in 

 June. 



She got the Brookweed, too (Samolus valerandi), from the 

 banks of the Fowcy River, near Lostwithiel ; and I have a 

 bundle of specimens from Brodick Bay, Arran. It has pale 

 green glossy egg-shaped leaves, and its clusters of small white 

 flowers terminate a stem of six or eight inches high. This is 

 the last family in the Primrose tribe ; it has five stamens, and 

 the corolla in five segments. 



The THEIFT order comes next, and contains only one British 

 family. 



The common Thrift (Statice armeria), is a familiar ornament 

 of sea-cliffs, its narrow fleshy leaves forming close tufts, and 

 its bright pink heads of flowers rising plentifully from them. 

 It is frequently used as an edging for flower-beds ; and I re- 

 member wondering, as a child, how any one could prefer the 

 short uninteresting Box-edge to the line of gay Thrift. I have 



