THE SALT MARSHES OF SUFFOLK 107 



the sea-beet in abundance, the leaves of which often 

 turn red as summer advances, the sea-spurrey, the 

 sea-milkwort and the sea-plantain, with conspicuous 

 yellow anthers. In the shelter of the dilapidated 

 shanties the beautiful silvery Artemisia or sea-worm- 

 wood grows in luxuriant profusion. Along the oozy 

 borders of the dykes the jointed-glasswort abounds, 

 called in Suffolk the marsh-samphire, and the plant, 

 like the real samphire, is often gathered for purposes of 

 pickling. On the drier portions of the marsh the sur- 

 face is starred here and there with the exquisite pink 

 blossoms of the dwarf centaury, a rare and choice 

 variety of the common type. 



But still rarer species flourish on the Walberswick 

 marshes. Among them may be mentioned the shrubby 

 sea-blite, the exquisite little sea-heath, the slender 

 hare's-ear and a very scarce sea-purslane. The 

 shrubby sea-blite (Suceda fruticosa, Forsk.) is a near 

 relative of the common sea-blite of our salt marshes, 

 from which it may be at once distinguished by its larger 

 size, its woody stem, and by the fact of its flowers 

 possessing three styles instead of two. It is an un- 

 attractive shrub, with dark, succulent, cylindrical 

 leaves, and except for its rarity would hardly merit 

 attention. It is found only at Portland, in the county 

 of Dorset, and in East Anglia, where in several places 

 it is fairly plentiful. In Essex it may be seen at 

 Maldon, St Osyth and Mersea Island ; on the meal 

 marshes of Norfolk, near Wells, it is sparingly scattered 

 over a wide area ; but in Suffolk it is distinctly rare. 

 Although in former years it has been recorded for Aide- 

 burgh and Southwold, I have never found it in either 

 locality ; but on the Walberswick marshes one little 



