308 SUMMER FLOWERS. 



stout prickle, the uppermost nearly triangular; flowers sessile 

 in the upper axils, the inconspicuous perianth regular, five- 

 cleft. Sea-coasts. Fl. July, August. 



(251) Beta. BEET. 



B. maritima : stems erect or spreading, branched, two 

 feet high; leaves broad, triangular-ovate, thick, green, the 

 upper ones small, narrow ; flowers green, single or clus- 

 tered, in long, loose, terminal spikes, often branching into a 

 leafy panicle ; the ripe perianth forming a hard, angular, often 

 prickly mass, enclosing a single horizontal seed. Sea-shore. 

 Fl. July to September. 



(252) Chenopodium. GOOSEFOOT. 



* Perianth covering the seed-like fruit. 

 t Leaves undivided. 



C. Vulvaria : annual ; stems procumbent, branched ; leaves 

 small, ovate, entire, covered with granular mealiness, and re- 

 markable for a strong stale-fish smell when rubbed; flower- 

 clusters in short axillary and terminal racemes. Waste, rub- 

 bishy places. Fl. August, September. 



C. polyspermum : annual ; stems procumbent or spreading, 

 much branched, sometimes erect ; leaves green, ovate ; flower- 

 clusters small, in short axillary spikes, the upper ones forming 

 a narrow terminal panicle. Waste places. Fl. July to Sep- 

 tember. 



ft Leaves angular -lobed. 



C. album : annual ; stems erect, 12 feet high, mealy ; leaves 

 ovate or rhomboid al, sinuately toothed or angular, the upper 

 ones narrow, entire ; flower-clusters in compound, branched, 

 nearly leafless racemes. W r aste places. Fl. July, August. 



