438 Mr. C. C. Babington on British species q/" Plumbaginacese. 



quite glabrous. As far as I have myself had an opportunity of 

 observing, the latter character appears to be constant ; but should 

 such prove not to be the case, and I beg to call particularly the 

 attention of botanists to it, then they might very well be com- 

 bined under the name of A. maritima, the older although far 

 from being the better name. 



If we now consider the other two doubtful species (for A. plan- 

 taginea cannot be questioned), ^. jowZ>2^er« and ^. duriuscula, we 

 shall find that if the herbaceous back of the bracts, a doubtful 

 point as far as our plant is concerned, be neglected, the latter 

 differs from the former by having longer pedicels and a pilose- 

 striate calyx-tube. The character derived from the length of 

 the pedicels is apparently so far constant as not to allow of its 

 being neglected until greater evidence of its variability is obtained. 

 I trust that I may be allowed to recommend this point also to 

 the attention of botanists who have an opportunity of examining 

 the living plants. On the distinction founded on the calyx-tube 

 no further remark is necessary. 



It does not appear that we are in a position to overthrow the 

 characters upon which Boissier has founded his sections, and 

 until such is the case we must recognize these four plants as 

 distinct species, although I have a very strong suspicion that 

 they really constitute only two. 



2. Statice, Linn. 



I now proceed to attempt to bring the nomenclature of our 

 species of Statice into conformity with that used in the ' Pro- 

 dromus.' In accordance with Boissier^s views, which I am in- 

 clined to adopt, all our species will alter their names with the 

 exception of S. Limonium, and one will be added to their num- 

 ber. Our plants form part of the section Limonium (Boiss.) and 

 will stand as follows. 



1. S. Limonium (Linn.); foliis elliptico-oblongis mucronatis uni- 

 nerviis venosis basi in petiolum attenuatis, scape subtereti supeme 

 coryrnbosis, spiculis 1-3-floris ascendentibus in spicas secundas 

 patentes vel recurvas distiche et dense congestis, calycis limho prop- 

 ter denticulos minutes inter lol)es majeres integres acutos sites 

 subdecemlebo, bractea exteriori parva derso herbaceo carinato ex- 

 currente. 



S. Limenium, Eng. Bot. t. 102 ; DeCand. Prod. xii. 644. 



S. Behen, DreJ. Fl. Hafn. 122 ; Fries, Summa Plant. Scand. 200. 



S. Limonium, 1. Scanica, Fries, Nov. Fl. Suec. Mant. i. 10; Mant, 

 ii. 17. 



Scape usually not branching in its lower half, often not until 

 near the corymbose summit. Spikes short. Spikelets densely 

 imbricated. Outer bract acute, with an excurrent herbaceous 



