74 SEA-SIDE PLANTS. 



The Sea Radish (EapJianus maritimus), though 

 not a frequent production of the English shore, yet 

 grows on Beachy Head and in Cornwall, is very 

 abundant on the cliffs from the Lizard to Kennack, 

 and is a most common plant on the western 

 shores of the Outer Hebrides ; it has large, pale- 

 yellow flowers, and very rough leaves. Probably 

 a person but little acquainted with wild flowers 

 would consider it to be a species of wild mustard, 

 for it is much like those weeds. 



The Hare's-ear Treacle Mustard (Erysimum ori- 

 entale), is another cruciferous plant of our cliffs, 

 and is very general all along the shores of Southern 

 Europe. It has cream-coloured flowers, and glau- 

 cous leaves. Two kinds of ftock-cress (Arabis) 

 also are found near the sea ; but, like the Hare's- 

 ear Treacle, they are rare flowers, and difficult to 

 describe. 



A very pretty and fragrant flower, which in 

 summer time we are glad to welcome to our gar- 

 dens, for its sweet, honey-like scent, is the Sweet 

 Alyssum, or Sea-side Koniga (Koniga maritima), 

 and it is found on the cliffs by the sea near Aber- 

 deen, and at Budleigh Salterton, in Devon; but 

 it is probably not a native plant. It is very plen- 

 tiful on the shores of the Mediterranean, and its 

 seeds were perhaps borne hither by the waves. 

 Its flowers are large and white, and it has long, 

 slender, hoary leaves. It flowers in August and 

 September. The whole tribe of Alyssums were 

 reputed by the ancients to have the power of 

 allaying anger ; but we, in these later days, trust 

 rather to moral remedies for the cure of this ill, 

 than to any " herb of virtue." 



On many parts of our coast the Grass-wrack 



