Sderanthus.] SCLERANTHE.E. 231 



herbaceous, erect ; leaves all linear, entire or toothed ; peri- 

 anth of the fruit sinuated and muricated at the back. Br. FL 

 1. p. 440. E. Fl. v. iv. p. *260. E. Bot. t. 708. 



Muddy salt-marshes, on the coast. On the muddy shore of Howth 

 on the Sutten side, abundant. Fl. July. 0. The under side of the 

 leaves and flowers are mealy. The latter ar e in rather crowded,' axil- 

 lary, and terminal spikes. 



7. A. pedunculata. Linn. Stalked Sea Orache. Stem her- 

 baceous, zigzag, with spreading branches; leaves obovato-lan- 

 ceolate ; seed-bearing flowers, cuneate, 2-horned, on long stalks. 

 Hooker. Br. Fl. 1. p. 440. E. Fl. v. iv. p. 261. E. Bot. t. 

 232. 



Muddy salt-marshes. Cushtrower Bay, Cunnamara ; Doctor Wade. 

 I have not seen Irish specimens of this species, nor have I had an op- 

 portunity of examining the place where it is said to have been found. 

 Fl. Aug. Sept. 0. Well distinguished from all the other species by 

 its long peduncles, and the peculiar shape of the seed-bearing perianth, 

 especially when the fruit is ripe. 



ORD. 62. SCLERANTHE^E. Link. Scleranthus Family. 



Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx 4 or 5 toothed, with an 

 urceolate tube. Stamens from 1 to 10, inserted into the orifice 

 of the tube. Ovarium simple, superior, 1-seeded. Styles two 

 or one, emarginate at the apex. Fruit a membranous utricle, 

 enclosed within the hardened calyx. Seed pendulous from the 

 apex of a funiculus, which arises from the bottom of the cell ; 

 embryo cylindrical, curved round farinaceous albumen. Small 

 herbs. Leaves opposite, without stipules. Flowers axillary, 

 sessile. 



1. SCLERANTHUS. Linn. Knawel. 



Calyx of one piece, 5-cleft. Corolla none. Stamens inserted 

 upon the calyx, five frequently abortive or wanting. Capsule 

 1-seeded, covered by the calyx. Name, from aicXrjpos, hard, 

 and avOos, a flower ; from the indurated nature of the floral 

 covering. Decandria. Digynia. 



1. S. annuus, Linn. Annual Knawel. Calyx of the fruit 

 with erecto-patent, rather acute segments ; stems spreading ; 

 root annual. Br. Fl. 1. p. 189. E. Fl. v. iv. p. 282. E. Bot. 

 t. 351. 



Corn-fields, frequent.' Fl. July. If. Stems many, much branched 

 in a dichotomous manner, slender, subpubescent, straggling. Leaves 

 linear-subulate, keeled, opposite and combined at the base by a membra- 

 nous fringed margin. Flowers green, inconspicuous, in axillary leafy 

 clusters. Calyx urceolate, ribbed, with five ovato-lanceolate teeth. 



