SEA-SIDE PLANTS. 35 



than the stem. The numerous blossoms grow 

 close down between the stem and leaves. This 

 little flower opens at nine in the morning, and 

 closes between two and three o'clock in the after- 

 noon. Charlotte Smith notices its early closing 

 in one of her poems : 



" Among the loose and arid sands 

 The humble Arenaria creeps ; 

 Slowly the purple star expands, 

 But soon within its calyx sleeps. 



" And those small bells so lightly ray'd 



In young Aurora's rosy hue, 

 Are to the noontide sun display'd, 



But shut their plaits against the dew." 



A much larger and more conspicuous plant 

 than this is the sea sandwort (Arenaria peploides), 

 which is very common. On our sea-side sands, 

 the first-named species would perhaps be scarcely 

 seen, except by botanists, and by children who 

 espy the smallest flowers ; but large patches of the 

 sea sandwort, with their smooth shining fleshy 

 leaves, cannot be unnoticed. The flowers are, how- 

 ever, very small ; and as they will not open in the 

 shade, and close very early, extensive clumps of the 

 leaves may be found, on which the casual observer 

 would believe no flower ever opened to the sun. 

 The Icelanders, who use several wild flowers, as 

 our sweet thyme and others, to flavour their sour 

 whey, make much use of the sea sandwort for this 

 purpose. They steep this plant in the whey when 

 it ferments ; they then strain it off the liquid, and 

 add fresh water to the beverage, which is said, 

 when thus prepared, to taste like olive oil. Some 

 species of Arenaria grow on the very borders of 

 the snow on the Swiss mountains, and several are 

 found on the high mountains of Dauphine. 

 D2 



