118 THE TREES AND SHRUBS [LECT. 



ones. Though in general a shrub, it sometimes 

 rises to the height of ten feet, and Hasselquist 

 observes that pilgrims make staves of it. 



SALSOLA AND SALICORNIA. 



One shrubby species of each of these genera is 

 noticed by Sibthorp as occurring on the sea-coast, 

 near Athens, but neither of them has been iden- 

 tified with any plant named by classical writers. 



ATRIPLEX. 



Four shrubby species are noticed by Sibthorp 

 in Greece, and two by Manetti in Italy. 



One of them, A. halimus, which has established 

 itself on many parts of our own sea-coasts, obtained 

 its specific name from the aA^oy of Dioscorides s , 

 which from his description seems to have been 

 meant for this shrub. 



Some have regarded it as the Bails marina, Pliny 1 , 

 but the description the Roman naturalist gives of 

 Alimon u , seems to identify it with that plant, which 

 he calls a shrub, dense, white, without thorns, with 

 leaves like the Olive, but softer. I am not aware, 

 however, that the Atriplex halimus is ever eaten, 

 and therefore Fee's conjecture maybe well founded, 

 that it is the Atriplex portulacoides, the young 

 leaves and shoots of which, preserved in vinegar, 

 have, he says, an agreeable taste. 



1 M. M. i. 120. ' xx i. 50. 



