CHENOPODIACEA. 9 
Glomerules with 2 or 3 (rarely 1 or 4) sessile flowers in the axil of 
strapshaped acuminate foliaceous bracts, arranged in long lax spikes 
at the apex of the stems and branches. Segments of the perianth 
incurved in fruit, and with blunt entire keels. Styles 2 or 3. 
By the banks of brackish ditches, and on waste ground, cliffs, and 
shingle by the sea. Rather common, and generally distributed in 
England. Rare in Scotland; it is said to be found in Orkney and in 
Shetland, but I have seen no Scotch specimens north of the shores 
of the Firth of Forth. Generally distributed in Ireland, but rather 
rare in the north. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, Autumn. 
Root rarely thicker than a man’s thumb, passing insensibly into a 
many-headed rootstock which produces barren tufts and stems which 
spread in a circle. Stems angular, generally with only the terminal 
portion ascending. Radical leaves insensibly attenuated into lone 
petioles, the lamina and petiole together 3 inches to 1 foot or more long, 
margins repand and somewhat undulated, with a prominent angle in 
the lower half of the lamina; stem leaves much smaller, the lowest, 
including the petiole, rarely more than 3 or 4 inches, the upper 1 inch 
or less; all of them more or less fleshy. Spikes 3 inches to 1 foot 
long, generally combined into a panicle, or simple on weak plants. 
Bracts much longer than the glomerules. Flowers yellowish green. 
Perianth with the edges of the boatshaped segments scarious. An- 
thers yellow. Styles generally 2, slender. Base of the perianth en- 
larged and becoming corky in fruit; calyx falling off when the fruit 
is ripe; the calyces in each glomerule cohering, but generally only 1 or 
2 fruits in each glomerule are perfected. Leaves shining, deep green, 
glabrous, fleshy; stem with green stripes. 
Sea Beet. 
French, Bette maritime. German, Meerstrands Runkelriibe. 
This plant is closely allied to the cultivated beet and mangold-wurzel, which are 
varieties of a species found wild in the countries of the Mediterranean. If we 
examine the wild plant, we find some specimens in which the roots and foliage are 
highly tinctured with a purple colour, whilst others incline to yellowish-green hue. 
These two varieties are the initiatives of the red and the white beet, and also of the 
red, white, and orange mangold-wurzel. The wild, or Sea Beet, has a woody root of 
no value as food for man or cattle ; though from the great changes possible by culti- 
vation, it seems not improbable that the present plant might be made to furnish soft 
fleshy roots by long and careful culture, were it worth while to make the experiment. 
The leaves form an excellent green vegetable, closely resembling spinach in flavour, 
but much better, while the plant is equally productive, and, being perennial, more 
easily cultivated. It should be planted in rich soil, and the leaves gathered in suc- 
cession as they grow: by cutting down the flowering stems a crop may be obtained 
till late in the autumn. The Beet may be propagated either by division of the crown 
VOL. VII. ‘ Cc 
