CHEXOPODIACEiE. 437 



1. Shrubby Suseda. Suseda fruticosa, Forsk. 



(Salsola, Eng. Bot. t. 635.) 



A branching perennial, more or less slirubby at the base, sometimes 

 erect, and 1 to 2 feet high, sometimes low and spreading. Leaves nume- 

 rous, linear but thick, nearly cylindrical, and succulent, 3 to 5 or rarely 

 6 lines long, of a pale green. Flowers small, and sohtary or 2 or 3 together, 

 closely sessde in the axils of the leaves. Styles 3, rather longer than the 

 perianth. 



In maritime sands, and salt-marshes, all round the Mediterranean, in cen- 

 tral Asia, and up the western coasts of Europe to Holland, occurring also 

 here and there in America. In Britain, very local, and chiefly on the eastern 

 and some parts of the southern coasts of England. Fl. autumn. 



2. Herbaceous Suseda. Suseda maritima, Dumort. 

 {Chenopodimn, Eng. Bot. t. 633.) 



A low, much branched annual, or sometimes biennial, of a green or red- 

 dish colour, seldom a foot high, and often not above 2 or 3 inches. Leaves 

 Unear and succident as in the shrttbby S., but usually longer and sometimes 

 more pointed; the lower ones often an inch long, the upper ones 3 to 6 lines. 

 Flowers small, green, and sessile, sohtary or 2 or 3 together in the axils of 

 the leaves. Styles usually 2 only. 



In salt-inarshes and maritime sands, in Europe and central Asia, extend- 

 ing northward to the shores of Scandinavia and the Baltic. Common aU 

 round the British Isles. Fl. summer and autumn. 



III. SALTWORT. SALSOLA. 



Herbs, with semi-cylindrical, succulent or prickly leaves. Perianth regu- 

 lar, 5-cleft, and enclosing the fruit when ripe, as in Goosefoot and Suceda ; 

 but the segments have then a small appendage at the top, forming a hori- 

 zontal, scarious wing round the perianth. Stamens 5. Styles 2 or 3, often 

 combined at the base, as in Goosefoot. Embryo coiled into a spire, with 

 little or no albumen, as in Suceda. 



The genus comprises a considerable number of maritime species, chiefly 

 from the Mediterranean and western Asia. 



1. Prickly Saltwort. Salsola Kali, Liun. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 634.) 



A procumbent, glabrous annual, with a hard, much branched stem, 6 

 inches to near a foot long. Leaves all ending in a stout prickle, the lowest 

 semi-cyhndrical, hnear, shghtly enlarged at the base ; the uppermost shorter 

 and broader, nearly triangular. Flowers sessile in the upper axils. The 

 appendage of the perianth spreads horizontally over the fruit, but is usually 

 shorter than the surrounding floral leaves or bracts. 



In maritime sands, and salt-marshes, in Europe and western Asia, extend- 

 ing northwards to Scandinavia and the Baltic. Frequent on the coasts of 

 England and Ireland, and in Scotland up to Argyle and Aberdeen. Fl. 

 summer arid autumn. 



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