180 



upper part of the stem, rough, ovate, stalked, and serrated. 

 Flowers green, consisting of a three-cleft calyx, and collected 

 into short loose spikes. The barren flowers have from nine to 

 twelve stamens. The fertile flowers two styles. Capsule two- 

 celled, with the cells one-seeded. The whole plant in drying 

 becomes of a bright blue color. 

 O. S. Annual Mercury, found about London, but not common. 



CLASS 23. POLYGAMIA. 



(Stamens and Pointals sometimes in separate' flower s, at other 

 times together.} 



This character is only found in one genus of British plants, 

 but numerous foreign species occur in Polygamia, particularly 

 the beautiful tribes of Mimosa, one of which is the Sensitive 

 Plant the no less beautiful Acacias, containing the Gum 

 Arabic Tree numerous Grasses, the Carob or Locust Tree, 

 the pods of which were a common food in former times and 

 known as having been eaten by St. John, the Fan Palm, the 

 Fig Tree, and numerous others. 



ORACHE. ATRIPLEX. 

 HALBERT-LEAVED ORACHE. Atriplex patula. 



Plate 14, fig. 11. 



A straggling weed, with halbert-shaped, smooth, toothed 

 leaves, and very small, greenish flowers, in little bunches, 

 scattered over the numerous long branches. It may be found 

 in flower all the latter part of the Summer, everywhere on 

 waste ground. 



