258 
or larger valve is very commonly sprinkled 
with fine scattered hairs, but this is far 
from being constantly the case. Anthers 
yellowish-white at first, but turning darker 
after long protusion, as do also the delicate, 
white and feathery stigmas. Styles co- 
hering (not truly united) for a great part 
of their length. Seed scarcely examined, 
as it seems, on dissection of a great num- 
ber of florets from various specimens ga- 
thered on parts of the station remote from 
each other, that our alterniflora seldom 
perfects its fruit at Southampton. The 
ovary appears in most cases shrunk to an 
A DESCRIPTION OF SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA. 
invisible point, the floral valves enclos- 
formed abortion, hardly to be called aseed. - 
Is not this fact in itself a strong presump- - 
tion, were other proof wanting, that our | 
alterniflora and stricta are two genuine, — 
though closely allied speciest—but more on - 
this head in the sequel. I cannot discover - 
the smallest trace of a “or floret in 
either of our English speci 
The following table dire under one 
view, the distinguishing characters of both 
our British Spartinas. 
SPARTINA STRICTA. Auct. anglican. 
Specific Character. 
Spikes few (two to three); flowers very 
hairy; larger calyx-glume simply acumi- 
nate ; sheaths distinctly articulated at their 
summits; leaves shorter than the flower- 
spikes, tapering at the base; lower ones 
deciduous ; rachis scarcely produced be- 
yond the terminal florets of each pe 
Spike. 
Descr. Root creeping, with few fibres, 
not much branche 
Culm ascending at the base, mostly curv- 
ed; somewhat tough; ten to fifteen inches 
high, colour pale dirty-yellow, or green- 
ish. 
Sheaths closed nearly to their summits. 
Leaves tapering upwards from the sheath ; 
scarcely broader at their base than the 
culm; distinctly articulated with the 
sheath; mostly much shorter than the 
spikes, or more rarely subequal with the 
latter; lower ones falling away from the 
sheaths in decay. 
t Perhaps neither this, nor Sp. stricta, mature seed 
abundantly any where in the wild state, like many 
other plants that run extensively by the root. At 
Rant Con reiting Pose coil C t a 
cided tendency to produce perfect seed than Sp. gla- 
bra, in which bardly ever more than the rudiments, 
SPARTINA ALTERNIFLORA. Loiseleur. 
Specific Character. 
Spikes numerous (four to thirteen) ; c 
arctate; flowers glabrous; larger calyx- - 
glume with strong lateral nerves, emargi- 
nate below the apex, which last is crowned 
with a fascicle of bristly hairs. Leaves | 
continuous with the sheaths, longer than, 
or equal to, the flower-spikes, dilated at 
e base; lower ones persistent ; rachis 
idi produced beyond the terminal flore 
of each partial spike, into a flexuose ui 
like point. 3 
d 
E 
with copious We 
and x 
Descr. Root creeping, 
ted fibres; very much branched, 
minutely divided. 
Culm mostly quite upright, or very slightly 
ascending at the base ; stout, reed-like; 
somewhat brittle; colour fine reddish- 
yellow, or green; rich tawny when pe 
Sheaths open considerably below the 
summit. 
Leaves much broade 
their base, 
no distinct articulatio 
with the sheath, of which 
imply a continuation; mos 
ostl 
the compound spike, OF JT" — 
» ko <a 
r than the culm at 
denly dilate; 
ie than 
equal to this last, lower one 
decay to their sheaths. 
and often not even these, ar 
probably incapable of germinating. Sp 
pears to advance to matur ity sooner t 
ing into the “‘ sere ellow leaf, 
is yet green and vigorous. 
