304 



LXXVIII. PLUMBAGINEiE. 



Calyx plicate, 

 claw of the Petals. 



5 stigmas. 



5-cleft or 5-petalous. Stamens inferior or fixed to the 

 Ovai-y of 5 carpels, each of one ceU and one seed. Styles 5 ; or 1, with 



Corolla regular. 



676. PLUMBAGO. 



1. europsea. Lower L. ohovate, stalked; 

 upper ovato-lanceolate, amplesicaul, rough on 

 margin. Bracts 3, ' ' 

 p. 8, 9. UncuU. s. Fr. Istria. It. 



the intermediate lai'gest. 



677. STATICE. 



In this genus, (except in the fii'st and last 

 divisions, each containing with me only one 

 species,) the flowering-stalk is leafless, produced 

 aimually from a rosette or tuft of L., and much 

 branched. A Scale, or what perhaps might be 

 called a bract, if it were not convenient to 

 confine the name to some part more connected 

 with the flowers, occurs at each ramification. 

 The Flowers are in spicules, placed in two 

 rows, but generally pointing one way, and dis- 

 posed in spikes at the ends of the branches. 

 At the base of each spicule is a scale, like 

 those at the ramifications, but here called the 

 outer bract ; within this is a second bract, 

 which is almost always membranous; and 

 then a third, called the inner, larger and more 

 substantial, at least iu the middle, and wrap- 

 ping round the spicule. Where the spicule has 

 more than one flower, there is usually another 

 membranous bract to each. The Calyx is 

 formed of a tube with 5 ribs, generally some- 

 what hairy, and ending in 5 red or dark- 

 coloured nerves, which, except in one or two 

 instances, do not reach to the end of the white 

 border. It is to be understood, where not 

 mentioned, that the lobes of this border are 

 obtuse, that the inner bract is obtuse and with 

 a membranous border, and that the outer is 

 usually more or less acute, i. e. forming an 

 angle at the extremity, though often a very 

 obtuse one. In the dried plant the sm-face of 

 the L. and stem becomes wrinkled. This must 

 not be confounded with the tuberculai' rough- 

 ness characteristic of some species. M. Boissier, 

 in the twelfth volume of De CandoUe's ' Pro- 

 dromus,' has made quite a new disposition of 

 the species, which I have for the most part 

 adopted. 



A. Petals distinct, or only adheiing at the 

 base. Styles separate. 



i. Utriculus cu'cumsciss. Sp. 1. 



ii. Utriculus indehiscent. 



a. BaiTcn Branches few or 0. 



* Sinus of Calyx broad and plicate. 

 Sp. 2, 3. 



** Sinus of Calyx narrow. 



t Spicules touching. Sp. 4-9. 



ft Spicules separate. 



+ Plant smooth. Sp. 10-14. 



%\ Scape and Bracts tubercled. 

 Sp. 15. 



b. Barren Branches numerous. 



* Bracts membranous only at top and 

 on mai'gin. 



f Scapes continuous. Branches 

 not divaricate. Sp. 16-20. 



ft Scapes jointed. Sp. 21-25. 



** Outer Bracts altogether membra- 

 nous. Sp. 26. 



B. Petals united in a tube. Sp. 27, 28. 



C. Styles united to the middle. Flowering- 

 stem leafy. Sp. 29. 



A. Petals distinct or only adhering at 



the base. 



i. Utriculus circumsciss. 



1. sinuata. Hirsute. Stem herbaceous, 

 leafy, winged. Root-L. lyrate, obtuse. Stem- 

 L. acute. Cal. entii-e. p. 5-7. Cal. Sic. 

 Sardinia. 



ii. Utriculus indehiscent. 



a. Barren branches few or 0. 



* Sinus of Calyx broad, plicate, often with 



one or more teeth. 



2. rariflora. Pan. not corymbose: the 

 branches straight, or cui-ved inwai'd. Spicules 

 separate. L. oblongo-lanceolate, one-nerved, 

 mucronate. p. 7, 8. Salt marshes. 



3. Ziimouiuzu. Pan. corymbose : branches 

 cm-ved outward. Spicules crowded. IVie mu- 

 cro of the L. in this species sometimes origi- 

 nates from the margin, sometimes from that 

 and the midrib combined, and sometimes from 

 the midrib alone, the margin being continued 

 in front of it. p. 8, 9. Salt marshes. 



$. Gmelini, Koch. Lower branches of 

 Pan. barren. 



