OLASS XXIII, ORDER 1.] ATRIPLEX. 1301 
wedge-shaped base, unequally toothed, sinuated, or entire, the upper 
leaves entire or toothed, or lobed lanceolate. Inflorescence axillary 
clusters of few flowers, crowded above into a short interrupted spike, 
the perianth of the fruit rhomboidal, acute, much dilated, flat, the 
upper margin toothed, with prominent ribs at the back, the lateral 
ribs sometimes furnished with clusters of tubercular- excrescencies, 
larger than the seeds. Seeds compressed, minutely tubercular, 
rugose. 
Habitat. —Sea shore ; common. 
Annual; flowering in July and August. 
This is an extremely variable plant, both in size and the shape of 
the leaves. Its most constant characters are that of the large size and 
shape of the perianth, and the roughness of the seeds. ‘he plant is 
frequent on the shores of the Mediterranean, where it grows to a 
greater size, and is more mealy than with us. 
7. A. lacinia'ta, Linn. (Fig. 1562.) Cut-leaved Orache. Stem pro 
cumbent, with spreading branches; leaves very mealy beneath, 
triangular, rhomboidal, laciniated, or toothed, the upper hastate, ob- 
long; barren flowers in terminal naked spikes, the fertile ones 
axillary; the perianth becoming much enlarged, rhomboidal, three 
lobed, the lateral lobes truncate, three ribbed at the back, the lateral 
ribs often tuberculated ; seeds rough, opaque. 
English Botany, t. 265.—English Flora, vol. iv. p 257.—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 578.—Lindley, Synopsis, p. 217. 
Stem yvoundish, procumbent, with slender alternate spreading 
branches, frosted with mealy scales, often of a reddish colour. Leaves 
alternate below, often opposite above, on footstalks, nearly smooth, a 
paleish green above, white and mealy beneath, variously sinuated or 
toothed, often three lobed, in a rhomboidal or hastate manner, the 
upper floral ones often quite entire, ovate lanceolate, or linear. In- 
florescence terminal and axillary, the barren flowers in more or less , 
dense interrupted naked yellow spikes, the fertile flowers axillary, 
solitary, or several together, the perianth becoming much enlarged, 
triangular, three lobed, laciniated or toothed, or entire, the lateral 
lobes truncated, ribbed and veiny at the back, the lateral ribs often 
becoming tuberculated, larger than the compressed rough opaque 
seed. 
Habitat.—Sandy sea shores; not unfrequent. 
Annual; flowering in July and August. 
This species is remarkable, from the variable and oft deep cut and 
sinuated leaves, the yellow dense flowered spikes of barren flowers, 
and the enlarged perianth of the fertile ones. It is very common on 
the sea coast of Italy, but is there a much larger more branched plant 
than ours, though not otherwise different. 
