362 



LXXI. SCLERANTHACE^. 



iSclerdnthu 



s. 



Tribe V. Sode^. Seed with a simple integument Embryo ' 

 a conical spiral Stems continuous or Jointed. (Gen. G ) ^ 



6. Salsola Linn. Saltwort. 



Flowers perfect, bracteated at the base. Perianth suMq m 

 ferior, 5-partite, persistent, enveloping the utricle with iti base" 

 and crowning it with its Imb which has a broad scariose dorsal 

 wing. Stam. 5. Styles 2. Seeds horizontal ; integument simple 

 membranaceous. ~ learned from sal, salt. From many of this 

 tribe alkaline salt is abundantly obtained, as implied by the 

 name of our only British species. 



1, S. Kali L, (prickly S.); stems herbaceous prostrate, leaves 

 subulate spinous scabrous, flowers axillary solitary, seo-ments 

 of the enlarged perianth cartilaginous as long as their sp^eadiucr 



roundish wings. 



^. B. t. 634. 



Sandy sea-shores, frequent, 

 branched. 



0. 7. 



— Stem angled, very much 

 Flowers pale-greenish, sessile, with 3 leaf-like bracteas at 

 the base of each. 



SUi 



Ord. LXXI. SCLERANTHACEiE Link. 



Perianth of 1 piece, tubular; limh 4— 5-cleft. Stamens 1—10 

 perigynous, inserted into the mouth of the tube. Ovary superior* ^ 

 simple, 1 -celled. Styles 2, or 1 emarginate at the apex. Ovules 

 solitary, or rarely 2, suspended from the apex of a free filiform 

 column or cord that arises from the bottom of the cell. Fruit 

 a utricle, inclosed within the hardened tube of the perianth. 

 Seed solitary. Embryo cylindrical, curved round the farinaceous 

 albumen,— "^ " ' • - ^ 



K 



Small inconspicuous herbs, 

 stipules. Flowers minute. 



Leaves opposite, without 



L SCLERANTHUS Li 



mn. Knawel. 



Perianth 5-cleft. 



or wanting. 



fl. 



Stam, 10 ; 5, or more, frequently abortive 

 Styles 2 —Named from fx/cXr/poc, hard and avOog, a 



t 



1. S. dnnuus L. {annual K,); calyx of the fruit with erect 

 or erect-patent rather acute segments edged with a narrow 

 white membrane, stems spreading, root annual. E. B. t. 351. 



Corn-fields, frequent. or rarely $, 7, — Stems many, much 

 branched in a dichotomous manner, slender, green, subpubescent, 

 straggling. Leaves linear-subulate, keeled, opposite and combined at 

 the baseby a membranous fringed margin. Flowers green, inconspi- 

 cuous, in axillary, leafy clusters. Perianth ureeolate, ribbed, with 5 

 ovate^anceolate teeth, spreading when in flower, almost erect in fruit. 



Ii 



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