BATIS MARITIMA. 



East Florida, With these ample materials, I am able to give a more complete 

 description of the plant than has yet appeared, and to determine, with considerable 

 certainty, its place in the Natural system. 



BATIS, P. Browne, Hist. Jamaic. 1, p. 356. 



Flores dioici, in spicas conico-oblongas quadrifariam dispositis. Mas. Flores dis- 

 tincti. Bractese lato-cordatse, obtusse, vel brevissime acuminatae, concavse, integrse, 

 persistentes, arete appressae. Calyx disepalus ; sepalis in cyathulam compressam 

 truncatam sub-bilabiatam coalitis, bractese subsequalibus. Petala 4, subunguicu- 

 lata ; limbo subrhomboideo. Stamina 4, petalis alternantia, exserta : filamenta 

 subulata, glabra : antherse oblongag, incumbentes, versatiles ; loculis distinctis 

 introrsim longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. PoUinis granula minutissima, simplicia, 

 spherica. Fem. Flores in spicam carnosam coaliti. Bractese ut in mare, deciduse, 

 duobus infimis connatis. Calyx et corolla desunt. Ovaria inter se et cum basi 

 bractearum coalita, quadrilocularia. Ovula in loculis solitaria, e basi erecta, 

 anatropa. Stylus nuUus : stigma capitato-subbilobum. Pericai-pia 8-12, quadri- 

 locularia, in syncarpium ovoideo-conicum tuberculosum carnosum coalita; loculis 

 monospermis : endocarpium coriaceum. Semina oblonga, erecta, rectiuscula : 

 testa tenui, membranacea. Embryo exalbuminosus semine conformis : cotyle- 

 dones cartiosae, oblongse, compressse : radicula brevis, hilo proxima. — Frutex 

 Antillanus, et vicinse Continentis, littoralis ; caulibus prostratis ramosissimis ; 

 foliis oppositis, exstipulatis, oblongo-linearibus, basi attenuatis, succulentis, supra 

 planis, subtus convexis ; spicis solitariis, sessilibus, viridibus. 



BATIS MARITIMA, Linn. Tab. XL 



B. MARITIMA, Linn. Sp. PI., p. 1451 ; Jacq. Stirp. Amer., p. 261, t. 40, f. 4; 

 Plant. Amer. Pict., t. 246 ; Select. Stirp. Amer., p. 335 ; Swartz, Obs. Bot. p. 373 ; 

 Willd. Spec. Plant. 4, p. 735 ; Pers. Synops. 2, p. 613 ; Lunan, Hort. Jamaic. 2, 

 p. 137 ; Kunth, Nov. Plant. Gen. et Spec. 2, p. 193 ; Synops. 1, p. 479; Spreng. 

 Syst. Veget. 3, p. 901. 



B. maritima erecta ramosa, foliis succulentis subcylindricis, P. Browne, Hist. 

 Jamaic. 1, p. 356. 



Kali fruticosum coniferum, etc., Sloane, Catal. Jamaic, p. 50 ; Hist. Jamaic, 

 p. 144. 



Hab. — On the sea shore, and the margin of lagoons ; flowering neai'ly all the 

 year. Tampa Bay, East Florida : Dr. Leavenworth. Southern Florida : Dr. 

 Chapman. Key West : Mr. J. Blodgett. Also in Jamaica, Cuba, and other of 

 the West India Islands ; and on the neighboring parts of the Continent. 



