Salicornia.] chenopodiace^. 431 



Eew fiirm, near Appuldurcombe. Field near Quarr abbey, 1849. Arreton. 

 Shanklii). [Near Bembridge, A. G. More, Esq., Edrs.] 



W. Med. — Wellow. Gottens. 



Root thick, fleshy. Stems several, about a foot high, roundish, striated, mealy 

 like the leaves with minute, round, ci^ystalline grains on short hair-like pedicels. 

 Leaves dark green, alternate, on long petioles, triangular or somewhat hastate, 

 often with one or two lobe-shaped teeth on each side at their base, otherwise quite 

 entire, their edges wavy and having a fat or unctuous feel from the copious 

 mealiness on their veined under surface. Spikes terminating the stem and 

 branches, very long, tapering, compound, leafy near the base only, quite leafless 

 above. Flowers densely crowded in small sessile clusters, greenish or reddish. 

 Segments of the perianth concave, somewhat pointed, bordered with an abrupt 

 membrane. Stamens wanting in some flowers {Sm.) Styles long, spreading, 

 usually 2, but flowers with 3 are often intermixed. Seed large, vertical (with its 

 edges upright), lenticulaijand subreniform, not bordered, reddish brown, very smooth 

 and shining when divested of the extremely fine and close pellicle and the some- 

 what loose, reticulated, wrinkled pericarp, embraced but not concealed by the 

 perianth -segments. 



This species is remarkable for being perennial, unlike the rest of the genus, 

 which are annual. It has much of the habit of Amaranthus, and resembles spi- 

 nach in general appearance, for which it was formerly a valuable substitute. The 

 succulent bitterish herbage does not seem inviting to any of our domestic animals, 

 as we find it growing uncropped in places the most frequented by them. 



IV. Beta, Linn. Beet. 



" Perianth single, 5-cleft, persistent. Stamens 5. Utricle reni- 

 form, imbedded in the fleshy base of the calyx." — Br. Fl. 



1. B. maritima, L. Sea Beet. Vect. Wild Spinach. "Stems 

 erect or procumbent at the base angled branched, spikes longish 

 narrow somewhat erect leafy panicled, flowers 1 — 4 together ses- 

 sile when in fruit 2 — 3 cohering, segments at length keeled and 

 inflcxed at the summit." — Br. Fl. E. B. t. 285. B. vulgaris, 

 Br Fl. p. 344. 



On the sea-beach, in muddy salt-marshes, on old walls and waste ground along 

 the shore, on most parts of the coast abundantly. Fl. August, September. 2^. 



£1. Med. — Frequent at Ryde, Cowes, &c. Between Springfield and Sea View, in 

 plenty. Un.der the rock in the highest part of the UnderclifF, nearly behind St. 

 Lawrence, at a considerable distance from the shore. 



W. Med. —Plentiful at Yarmouth. 



Dr. Bell-Salter tells me the flowers of the Sea Beet are very fragrant, the odour 

 being like those of almonds and new-made hay united. 



Boiled instead of greens, the Sea Beet is much relished by the poorer classes of 

 this island. 



Tribe IV. Salicorne^. 



" Embryo annular." " Flowers uniform, perfect. Stem jointed." 

 —Br. Fl. 



V. Salicoenia,* Linn. Glasswort. 



" Perianth single, turbinate, fleshy, obscurely lobed, imbedded 

 in an excavation of the rachis. Stamens 1 — 3. Style short. 



* Name from sal, salt and comu, a horn; in allusion probably to the branched 

 and naked stems, like anthers, and the saline soil in which the species grow. 



