Statice. PLUMBAGINACE^. 465 



Siindliills of the desert Iwnleiing tlio licad of tlio. (Julf of California, nroiind Adair Hay, in the 

 Mexican State of Sonora ; "very abundant in the liills, tlie wliolc jilant except the top buried in 

 the sand, apparently attached to some other root or substance," Co/. A. li. (iraij. Eaten by the 

 Papago Indians, after roasting oi- 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 uot far below the borders of the State. 



Ordkr LVI. PLUMBAGINACEJS. 



Chiefly maritime liorbs, witli the base of tlio alternate leaves clasping the stem at 

 tlieir insertion, regular flowers with tlie parts in live 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, pei-sistent. 

 Corolla hypogynous ; in Plumbago gamopctalous and salverform ; 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, adnato to their base : anthers 2-celled, 

 intronso, opening lengthwise. Ovary ^-angled at summit, containing an anatropous 

 ovule lianging 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 

 the 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 unimi)ortnnt order, of no active qualities except tlint the roots are astringent ; 

 chiefly indigenous to the Old Worhl ; the genus Plumbago, of warm climntoH, with ganiopctnlous 

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

 American species are merely one Thrift, and one Mnrsh-Roscviarif. 



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



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



1. ARMERIA, Willd. Thrift. 

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

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

 form. Corolla of 5 nearly distinct long-clawod petals, each with a stamen attaclied 

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

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

 at base. Steraless 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 abrui)tly mucronato-pointcd. — Statice 

 Armeria, Linn. 



On hills and beaclies, along tlio roast : a tall form, with scapes a foot or two higli, and rather 

 rigid leaves (//. nndinn, var. Califnrnica, Boissier in DC. Prodr. xii. fi82), apparently most like a 

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

 by some carefully discriminated into several species. 



2. STATICE, Linn., Willd. M.\ni^ii-Rn.sRMAKV. 

 Flowers in small spikes or clusters crowded at tlie oxtromities of a branching 

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

 stigmas shorter, sometimes terminal. TTtride indehiscent. — Leaves commonly with 

 a broad coriaceous blade tapering below into a petiole. 



