344 BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS chap. 



Salicornia 



Leafless herbs, with cylindrical succulent jointed 

 stems ; found in salt - marshes. The minute bisexual 

 flowers are sunk in pits at the nodes, and contain no 

 honey. 



S. herbacea and S. radicans occur in Britain, the 

 latter only south of Yorkshire. 



Salsola (Saltwort) 



This genus is represented by S. Kali, another succu- 

 lent maritime species. It is homogamous or proto- 

 gynous. The plant is glabrous or with rough hairs. 

 The leaves are fleshy, and somewhat awl-shaped. 



Chenopodium (Groosefoot) 



Generally protogynous wind flowers ; without nectar. 

 Some, however, have nectar. Though insect visits are 

 few and far between, it must be remembered that the 

 flowers are very numerous and long-lived. 



0. Vulvaria (Stinking Goosefoot). — This species, 

 according to Kirchner, produces nectar. The very un- 

 pleasant smell is perhaps a protection against browsing 

 quadrupeds. Kirchner describes it as distinctly proto- 

 gynous, but Hildebrand found it protandrous in his 

 neighbourhood. The plant is covered with powdery 

 dust-like hairs. 



C. album. — More or less mealy white, from the 

 numerous small globular hairs. The flowers are proto- 

 gynous. In this species also Kirchner found nectar. 

 The young leaves rise vertically at night. The stem 

 has alternate bands of white and green. 



0. rubrum is a glabrous shining plant, the stem 

 having alternate bands of green and white or red. 



0. glaucum. — In this species the leaves are green 

 above, white, glaucous, and mealy below. 



C. polyspermum. — Leaves entire and scentless. 



C. hybridum. — Maple-leaved Goosefoot ; with a heavy 

 odour. 



