Linum.l PENTANDRIA — PENTAGYNIA. 131 



that I should do him injustice were I not to introduce them here. " The 

 leaves (which are coriaceous and short in proportion to the height of the 

 scape), have the midrib somewhat pellucid when held between the eye 

 and the light ; and there are besides, two parallel ribs or nerves extend- 

 ing beyond the middle : footstalks bordered, so as to constitute of the 

 whole a spathulate leaf. JMucro very small, always dorsal, not formed 

 of a continuation of the (cartilaginous) margin, for that is continued round 

 the apex of the leaf, and above the mucro which is not channelled. Scape 

 round, with an even surface, a little zig-zag or wavy above, taking a fresh 

 direction at every brancli of the panicle. Anthers white. Pollen with 

 4 — 5 pellucid dots, compressed. Germen smooth. Stigtnas covered 

 with a reticulation of vesicles, not prominent, much larger than the 

 papillte of 5. Limonium." The lower branches of the panicle are now 

 and then abortive or destitute of flowers, in both species. 



5. S. reticulata, L. (matted Thrift) ; leaves spathulate, scapes 

 paniculated almost from the base with numerous slender zigzag 

 distinctly bracteated branches, of which the upper ones only bear 

 flowers, flowers crowded. E. Bat. t. 3:28. 



Muddy salt-marshes, but rare. Norfolk, principally at Cley, and 

 Wisbeach. Fl. July, Aug. %. — Much smaller than eitiier of the two 

 last ; with very short leaves. Scapes several from the same root, re- 

 markable for their numerous, slender, entangled, barren branches, and 

 small, cxowdQA flowers, in secund terminal spikes. The finest specimens 

 I have seen of this species are sent to me by Professor Henslow from 

 Cle}', gathered July 1829. They are 6 inches long and with such numer- 

 ous barren branches as to satisfy me that the S. Caspia, of Willdenow, 

 is the same ; as Marschal Bieberstein had rightly determined. 



98. LiNUM. Linn. Flax. 



1. h.* usitatissitnum, L. (commo7i Flax); leaves alternate 

 lanceolate, calycine leaves ovate acute 3-nerved, petals crenate, 

 stem subsolitary. E. Bat. t. 1357. 



Corn-fields, not unfrequent. Fl. July. . — One or one foot and a 

 half high, slender, branched above. Leaves distant. Flowers large, 

 purplish-blue. — This, as may be inferred from its name, yields in the 

 strong fibres of its bark the valuable _/?ax of commerce ; while from the 

 seed a precious oil is expressed, known by the name of Lint-seed oil. 

 These seeds, too, are higlily mucilaginous, and much employed in poul- 

 tices, fomentations, &c. 



2. L. perenne, L. (perennial blue Flax) ; leaves alternate 

 linear acute, calycine leaves obovate obtuse obscurely 5-ribbed 

 glabrous, stems numerous from the same root. E. Bot. t. 40. 



Chalky hills : Cambridgeshire ; Hinton, Northamptonshire; West- 

 moreland, Norfolk and Suffolk. Near Monkstown, Ireland. Fl. June, 

 July. ^. 



3. L. miffustifolium, Huds. (narroio-leaved pale Flax) ; leaves 

 alternate linear-lanceolate acuminate 3-nerved, calycine leaves 

 elliptical three-ribbed mueronate. E. Bot. t. 381. 



Sandy and chalky pastures, principally near the sea, Kent, Sussex, 

 Norfolk, Suffolk ; near Liverpool. Cornwall ; and near Plymouth. 

 About Dublin. Fl. July. If. — All the three species of this division have 

 a great similarity in their habit. The best characters, as observed by 



