SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 283 



(190) Samolus. BROOKWEED. 



S. Valerandi: root-leaves glabrous, obovate, spreading; 

 flowering stems J-l foot high, slightly branched, bearing a 

 few oblong leaves, and loose racemes of small white flowers. 

 Maritime marshes, chiefly along the west coast. Fl. July. 



(191) Statice. 



S. Limonium : radical leaves obovate or oblong, entire, gla- 

 brous, narrowed into a long stalk; flower- stem erect, leafless, 

 |-1 foot or more high, repeatedly forked, so as to form a broad 

 corymbose panicle, with a membranous bract at each division, 

 the flowers numerous, in short, rather loose spikes at the end 

 of the branches ; calyx scarious, pale purple, with five short, 

 broad teeth, subsequently much enlarged ; petals bluish-purple. 

 Sea Lavender. Maritime sands and salt marshes. Fl. July, 

 August. 



(192) Armeria. THRIFT. 



A. vulgaris : tufted ; leaves numerous, radical, all narrow- 

 linear, entire; stems simple and leafless, 3-6 inches high, 

 bearing a globular head of pink flowers, the petal-like border 

 of the calyx crowned by five very short, slender teeth. Muddy 

 or sandy seashores. Fl. July, August. 



(193) Plantago. PLANTAIN. 

 * Leaves strongly ribbed longitudinally. 



P. major : leaves broadly ovate, with about seven promi- 

 nent ribs converging at the base into the longish footstalk; 

 spike long, slender, tapering, formed of small sessile flowers ; 



