Atriplex hastata. Spear-leaved Orach. 



ATRIPLEX Ltnrusu Gen. P/. Pol yg ami a Monoecia. 



Hermaphrod. Cal. 5-phyllus. Cor,o. Siam. 5. Stylus 2-partitus. Sem. 1, 



depreflum. 

 Fem. Cal 2-phyllus. Cor. o. Stam, o. Stylus 2-partitus. Sem, 1, com- 

 preffum. 

 Rail Syn.G-en. 5. Herbje flore imperfecto seu Stamineo (vel apetalo potius.) 

 ATRIPLEX hajlata caule herbaceo, calycis valvulis femineis magnis deltoidibus finuatis. Lintuei. Syfi. 



Vegetal? . p. 764. Sp. pi. 1494. Fl. Sueck. n. 921. 

 ATRIPLEX foliis triangularibus, bafi produ&a, valvulis triangularibus, fubafperis. Hatter hift.n* 161 J. 

 ATRIPLEX fy lveftris folio haftato feu deltoide. RaiiSyn.p. 151, Wild Orache with a fpear-pointed leaf, 

 Hudfon Fl. Angl. ed. 1. p. 337, 

 Lightfoot Fl Scot. p. 636. 



RADIX annua, fimplex, fibrofa, albida. 



CAULIS plerumque ere&us, pedalis aut tripedalis, te- 

 tragonus, angulis obtufis, lateribus fubfulca- 

 tis, ad geniculos tumidiufculus, laevis, pur- 

 purafcens, ad bafm ufque, ramofus ; Rami 

 oppofiti, inferiores longiffimi, caulem ipfum 

 interdum aequantes, utplurimum procum- 

 bentes. 



FOLIA ima triangularis, margine plus minufve den- 

 tata, farina fubtus copiofe adfperfa, faspe ve- 

 ra penitus glabra, oppofita, petiolata, fuperio- 

 ra ovato lanceolata, integerrima, alterna. 



FLORES in fummis caulibus et ramulis, in fpicas an- 

 guftas rubentes, digefti. 



Flos hermaphroditusfterilis. 



CALYX: Perianthium pentaphyllum, foliolis ova- 

 tis, concavis, marginibus membranaceis lace- 

 ris, fig. 1. 



COROLLA nulla. | 



STAMINA : Filamenta quinque, calyce paulo Ion- | 

 giora : Antherje iubrotundse, didymje, ru- % 

 brae, fig. 3. | 



PISTILLUM : Germen in centra flofculi minimum ^ 

 fterile. t 



Flos femlneus. | 



CALYX: Perianthium diphyllum, foliolis ovato- | 



acutis, eretlis, granulis diaphanis obduclis, % 



fig. 2. I 



PISTILLUM: Germen ovatum, fig. 6 : Styli duo, f 



etiam tres, filiformes, albi, fig. 4, 5. | 



PERICARPIUM nullum. Calycis valvae magnse, cor- | 



datae, afperae, inter fe includentes (emen, fig. % 



78 ' 



/' . * 



SEMEN unicum, orbiculatum, compreffum, fig. 9. $ 



ROOT annual, limple, fibrous, and of a whitilli colour. 



STALK generally upright, from one to three feet in 

 height, four cornered, the angles obtufe, the 

 fides fomewhat grooved, a little fwelled at the 

 joints, fmooth, of a purplifh colour, and 

 branched quite to the bottom : the Branches 

 oppofite ; the lowermoft very long, fome- 

 times almoft equal with the fialk itfelf, and 

 for the moft part procumbent. 



LEAVES on the lower part of the ftalk triangular, 

 with the edge more or lefs indented, fprink- 

 led plentifully on the Under fide with meal, 

 fometimes quite fmooth, oppofite, and ftand- 

 ing on foot-ftalks ; the upper leaves oval, 

 pointed, intire, and alternate. 



FLOWERS difpofed on the tops of the fialks and bran- 

 ches in narrow reddifh fpikes. 



Hermaphrodite Flower Jlerile. 



CALYX: a Perianthium of five leaves, which are 



oval and concave, the edges membranous and 



jagged, fig. 1. 

 COROLLA wanting. 

 STAMINA ; five Filaments a little longer than the 



Calyx ; Anthers roundifti, double, and of 



a red colour, fig. 3. 

 PISTILLUM : a very minute barren Germen in the 



center of the flofcule. 



Female Flower, 



CALYX : a Perianthium of two leaves, which are 

 oval, pointed, upright, and covered ov r 

 with tranfparent grains or globules, fig, 2. 



PISTILLUM: Germen oval, fig. 6. Styles two, 

 fometimes three, filiform and white, fig. 4, 5. 



SEED-VESSEL none. Valves of the Calyx large, 

 heart-fhaped, rough, including the feed, fig. 

 7, 8. 



SEED fingle, orbicular, and flattened, fig. 9. 



BOTANISTS have happily divided the plants of this tribe into two Genera, each ftrikingly diltinguiihable by 

 the particular form of its leed-verTells : without this divifion, great indeed would be the difficulty of inveftigating 

 them. 



The Chenopodium has hermaphrodite flowers only, which produce a feed contained within the calyx, compofed 

 of five leaves, which as the feed ripens, does not inlarge itfelf . 



The Atriplex produces female blouoms, and male or hermaphrodite ones ; the feed is contained within the calyx 

 of the female blofTom, which is compofed of two leaves or valves, which increafe as the feed becomes ripe ; and in 

 this ftate only, is it obvioully diftinguifhable from the Chenopodium ; for at the time of its flowering, fo fmall are 

 the female bloflbms, as fcarce to be diftinguiihed without a magnifying glafs. 



The plant here figured, is one of the moil common of this genus, and one of the moft: variable in nature. Firfr, 

 it varies exceedingly according to its age, the perfon who had been accuitomed to gather it in its young ftate, would 

 fcarce recognize it when far advanced : fecondly, it varies according to its fituation ; on dunghills it grows very 

 ftrong and luxuriant ; by the road fides, it is a much weaker plant, and its branches long and procumbent ; in wet 

 places, it is apt to become much more upright, the leaves fometimes are very mealy on the under fide, particular- 

 ly when it grows on the fea fhore ; at other times they are altogether fmooth : in general, the broad triangular 

 leaf readily diftinguifhes this fpecies : but on dunghills, a variety fometimes occurs with leaves not exactly corres- 

 ponding to this figure, but approaching more to an oval, with an intire edge. 



In its young ftate, this plant is frequently gathered under the name of Fat-hen, Lambs-quarters, &c. and eaten 

 in lieu of Spinach and other greens. 



Birds, particularly that mifchievous one the fparrow, are very fond of the feeds of the Orach's, I have frequent- 

 ly had a plant of this Genus, itript of its feeds by them in a very fhort time. 



Cattle do not feem to be fond of it. 



In the garden and cultivated ground, it is a very troublefome annual. 

 The farmer, as we have before hinted,, would do well to weed his < 

 which are equally noxious. 



dung-heap of this and the other fpecies, 



