258 PLUMBAGINE^I. [Armeria. 



regions ; genera 10 ; species about 200. — Affinities. Nearest to Primu- 

 lacece, but distant. — Properties. Astringent, unimportant. 



Flowers in a bracteate head 1. Armeria. 



Flowers in panicled unilateral cymes 2. Statice. 



1. armeria, WilU. Thrift, Sea-Pink. 



Perennial herbs. Leaves all radical, very narrow. Flowers pedicelled, 

 fascicled in small bracteate cymes, which are collected into a dense hemi- 

 spheric head ; involucre (formed of the connate downward prolongation of 

 the bases of the outer bracts) tubular, scarious, sheathing the top of the 

 scape downwards. Calyx funnel-shaped, scarious. Petals cohering at the 

 very base, persistent and covering the utricle. Filaments inserted on the 

 petals, base dilated. Ovary obovoid ; stigma capillary, papillose. Utricle 

 with 5 hard bosses at the top, dehiscing transversely or irregularly below. 

 — Distrib. Alpine, Arctic and maritime N. temp, regions, Chili ; species 

 30. — Etym. The monkish Latin Flos Armerias, applied to a Pink. 



1. A. vulga'ris, Willd. ; pubescent or ciliate, leaves linear 1-3-nerved. 

 A. marit'ima, Willd. ; A. pubes'cens, Link ; A. pubig'era, scotfica, Bois- 

 sier ; A. durius'cula, Bab. ; Stat'ice Arme'ria, L. 



Rocky and stony sea-shores and on lofty mountains, N. to Shetland ; ascends to 

 3,800 ft. in the Highlands; Ireland ; Channel Islands; fl. April-Oct. — Root- 

 stock woody, branched. Leaves densely fascicled, 1-6 in.,^-^ in. broad, ob- 

 tuse or acute, covered with impressed points on both surfaces, broader in 

 the alpine form (var. planifo'lia, Syme). Scape 3-12 in., hairs spreading or 

 reflexed; heads f-1 in. diam. ; involucre |-1 in., lacerate, outer bracts 

 shorter than the head, ovate, acute or produced into long brown or green 

 points ; inner oblong, obtuse, scarious ; pedicel J-J in., equalling the calyx. 

 Calyx decurrent on the pedicel, with 5 pubescent ribs, lobes cuspidate. 

 Petals $ in., rose-pink or white, limb obovate. Utricle exceeding the calyx- 

 tube.— Distrib. Europe (Arctic), Asia, N. America, Chili. 



2. A. plantagin'ea, Willd.; glabrous, leaves narrow-lanceolate usual ly 

 3-5-nerved, calyx-lobes awned. 



Sandy banks, &c, Jersey ; fl. June- Aug.— More rigid, stouter and larger than 

 A. vulga'ris ; leaves T V-| in. broad, narrowed into long points, margins car- 

 tilaginous and undulate when dry ; scapes taller ; involucre longer and less 

 deeply cut ; outer bracts with usually a long herbaceous point exceeding the 

 head ; flowers darker, on shorter pedicels. — Distrib. Mid. and S. Europe. 

 —Syme describes a probable hybrid with A. vulga'ris, em growing with 

 them. 



2. STAT'ICE, L. Sea Lavender. 



Perennial herbs. Leaves all radical. Flowers shortly pedicelled, in 1- 

 or more-fld. 3-bracteate cymes, which are alternately distichously or 

 secundly arranged in branched panicles. Calyx obconic ; limb scarious, 

 5-lobed. Petals free or united at the very base. Filaments inserted on 

 the petals. Ovary obovoid or oblong ; styles free or connate at the base, 



