TSE CAPE LEADWORT. 155 



trifling peculiarities of structure. These two hardy species 

 are well adapted to plant on the face of a rockery, and 

 they are equally adapted to clothe low trellises with their 

 neat leafage and beautiful blue flowers. 



The tropical species comprise the Mexican (P. Mexicana), 

 with white flowers ; the diamond-leaved (P. rhombifolia) , 

 with blue flowers ; the rosy (P. rosea), with red flowers ; the 

 Ceylon (P. Zeylanica), with white flowers ; and the climbing 

 (P. scandens) , with white flowers. The last-named is the best 

 of the series. These, in common with P. capensis, may 

 be had in flower all the winter by a little management, 

 and in that case will often prove serviceable to supply cut 

 flowers for decorative purposes. 



The plumbagos are bitter and acrid, and perhaps 

 poisonous. The root of the European species is sometimes 

 chewed as a cure for toothache, and a preparation of it 

 with olive oil is in high repute in the south of Europe as 

 a cure for ulcers and the itch. All the species probably, 

 and certainly several of them, have striking vesicatory 

 properties, so that when rubbed upon the skin they pro- 

 duce inflammation, and may therefore supplant cantharides 

 and other irritants. The statices have nearly the same 

 properties, but are bitter, and are astringent rather than 

 acrid. 



The most interesting of the British plants that are 

 allied to plumbago is doubtless the sea lavender (Statice 

 limonium) , which may be met with on muddy sea-shores ; 

 the thrifts, or armerias, are but rarely seen in such 

 situations, the sandy and rocky shores being their usual 

 habitat. The flowers of the sea lavender are purplish, and 

 are produced in corymbose panicles. There is a white 

 variety, and there is also a lilac-coloured variety which is 



