38 SEA-SIDE PLANTS. 



only in their general aspect, but also in their pro- 

 perties. We have thirteen British species of 

 goosefoot, several of which grow near the sea. 

 There is the shrubby sea-side goosefoot ( Chenopo- 

 dium fruticosum) , a somewhat rare plant, yet found 

 on the coasts of Devonshire, Cornwall, Suffolk, 

 and Dorsetshire, and also on the Norfolk shore. 

 It was formerly termed the shrubby saltwort, and 

 was first discovered in this country in the time of 

 Ray, by Sir Thomas Browne, the author of the 

 Religio Medici. It is an elegant evergreen, and 

 its leaves have a saltish and somewhat acrimonious 

 flavour. 



The annual sea-side goosefoot or sea-side blite 

 (Chenopodium maritimum) , is a very common plant 

 on our sea-shores, and the many-spiked goosefoot 

 (Chenopodium botryoides) , with its triangular leaves, 

 grows on some cliffs by the sea ; but there is one 

 kind, equally frequent with the former, growing 

 especially on the coast, but found also on waste 

 places and on walls, far from the shore, and it 

 certainly deserves its most inelegant name of 

 stinking goosefoot. It may at once be known 

 from all the other kinds by its odour, which is 

 such as would not induce us to gather it. Its 

 small leaves and stems are greasy to the touch, 

 and covered over with a powdery substance, which, 

 when bruised, causes the offensive scent. Professor 

 Hooker well compares this to the smell of putrid 

 fish. Nor can we remember any plant of our 

 lands more disgusting in perfume, except some of 

 the mushroom tribe. Yet this goosefoot is a really 

 valuable anti-spasmodic medicine, and is held in 

 great repute, not only by village doctors, but 

 large quantities were,, until recently, sent to 



