Armeria.] plumbaginaceje. 409 



Limonium, and growing lo a large size (2 feet or upwards), Rev. G. E. Smith. 

 Shores of the Wootton river, in great plenty, with the common form, from which 

 T can really find no distinguishing mark beyond that of habit, — Hudson, Esq., 

 1848 !!! Side of the Yar, near Freshwater mill, sparingly. 



This species greatly resembles the next in appearance, but is much larger, and 

 is never, I believe, found growing, like that, on rocks or cliffs, but only in low 

 muddy places wilbin reach of the tide. The very large, thick, blackish, spongy 

 and almost woody root sends up tufts of flowering stems from a few inches to a 

 foot and a half in height. 



Leaves all radical, about half as high as the scapes, glaucous-green, leathery, 

 elliptic-lanceolate, quite entire, tapering into thick channelled footstalks formed 

 by the enlargement downwards of the single strong midrib, and which terminates 

 in a long and straifrhl or small and deflexed mucro at the apex of the leaf. 

 Scape erect, branching chiefly towards the summit, either roundish or more or 

 less angular and compressed, or somewhat 2-edged, its branches ereclo-patent, 

 forming a level-topped corymbose panicle. Flowers bluish purple, in small, im- 

 bricated, erect or reclining clusters, in a. usually much crowded, in (3. more dis- 

 tant or scattered. Calyx tubular, funnel-shaped, with 5 strong, prominent, pur- 

 plish ribs, its summit in as many white, chaffy or membranous, plaited, acute and 

 rather deep segments, irregularly toothed or jagged, chiefly about their bases ; the 

 lower part hairy along the ribs or angles. Petals obovato-lanceolate, combined 

 only at the extremity of their narrow tapering limb. Stamens inserted on the 

 petals at their point of union ; anthers oblong, reddish or pale yellow, with a 

 bright red spot on the back, where the filament is inserted, 2-celled, bursting 

 laterally ; pollen of a few coarse roundish grains, pale yellow. Germen obconical, 

 striated, tapering greatly downwards, the summit flat; winged as it were with 5 

 very prominent rounded angles or ridges. Styles 5, long, white, spreading, seated 

 on the flat top of the germen opposite the ridges ; stigma none. Capsule mem- 

 branous, 1-celled, shorter than the persistent calyx, oblong-obtuse, with 5 blunt 

 plait-like angles or lobes, dilated upwards and tipped with the base of the styles. 

 Seeds brown, narrowly oblongo-elliptical, glabrous, a little compressed, with a 

 slight ridge down the centre on one side (raphe?); aflixed to the bottom of the 

 cell by the very long funiculus from the apex of the seed. 



2. S. spathulata, Desf. Dwarf Sea Lavender. Rock Sea La- 

 vender. " Leaves spathulate narrowed into a winged stalk more 

 or less mucronate somewhat 3 -nerved at the base, scape branched 

 from below the middle, panicle elongated, branches distichous, 

 spikes erect, calyx with plane blunt segments without interme- 

 diate teeth." — Br. Fl. S. Limonium &., Sm. E. Fl. ii. p. 116. 

 Lind. Syn. Suppl. p. 337. S. binevvosa, O. E. Smith. E. B. 

 xxxvii. t. 2663. Br. Fl. p. 336. S. cordata, G. E. Sm. Pis. of S. 

 Kent, p. 18, cum fig. Ger. Em. p. 4111, fig. 3. Ray, Syn. p. 203, 

 No. 3. 



On sea-cliffs ; very rare. i^/. July— September. !(.. 



Isle of Wight, Rev. G. E. Smith, Watson's New Bot. Guide. In a subse- 

 quent commimication Mr. Smith told me he believed it was collected on the cliffs 

 near Freshwater, either by the Eev. Mr. Wood or the Rev. R. Price. 



II. Aemeria, Willd. Thrift. 



" Calyx funnel-shaped, plaited, dry and membranous. Petals 

 united at the base, bearing the stamens. Styles distinct, hairy : 

 stigmas filiform, glandular. {Flowers collected into a bracteated 

 rounded head, with an inverted cylindrical sheath)." — Br. Fl. 



3 a 



