364 THE PLUMBAGO FAMILY. [ Statice. 
I, STATICE. STATICE. 
Flowers solitary or two or three together, in little spikelets within 2 
bracts, these spikelets forming one-sided spikes, arranged either in a dicho- 
tomous or trichotomous panicle, or, in some exotic species, forming a single 
spike. Calyx more or less expanded at the top into a dry, membranous, 
coloured, and slightly 5-lobed limb, each lobe traversed by a green or dark 
nerve. Petals slightly united at the base, the stamens inserted at their 
point of union, Styles glabrous. 
The geographical range is the same as that of the family, of which this 
genus includes the great majority of species. 
Leaves usually several inches long, the veins pinnate (when 
visible). Panicle very spreading and corymbose. .  . 1. S. Limonium. 
Leaves usually not above an inch, with 1 or 3 ribs, and no pin- 
nate veins. Panicle elongated, usually one- -sided. 
Branches all, or nearly all flowering . < . « 2. S. auriculifolia, 
Short, flowerless, intricate branches very numerous > . 3 S&. reticulata, 
Several exotic species are occasionally cultivated in our flower-gardens 
or planthouses. 
1. S. Limonium, Linn. (fig. 821). Common Statice, Sea Lavender.— 
Stock short and thick, with tufts of radical leaves from 2 to 5 or 6 inches 
long, obovate or oblong, quite entire, glabrous, and narrowed at the base 
into a long stalk ; the midrib is alone prominent when fresh, but when dry 
the lateral reticulate veins branching from it distinctly appear. Flower- 
stem erect, leafless, 6 inches to a foot or even more high, repeatedly 
forked, so as to form a broad corymbose panicle, with a membranous bract 
at each division. Flowers numerous, in short, rather loose spikes at the 
ends of the branches, with a green bract, coloured at the edge, under each 
flower. Calyx green at the base. dry, scarious, and of a pale purple in its 
upper part, with 5 short, broad teeth, which are often slightly toothed or 
jagged. Petals of a bluish purple, at the time of flowering rather longer 
than the calyx, but the latter becomes subsequently much enlarged, so as 
to assume the appearance of a corolla concealing the real one. 
In maritime sands and salt-marshes, on the coasts of western Europe, 
the Mediterranean, and western Asia, and apparently the same species on 
the South American and Californian sea-shore. Frequent on the coasts of 
England and Ireland: eastern Scotland only. £V. summer and autumn. 
A small variety, with less compact spikes, has been described as a species, 
under the name of S. dakusiensis, Fries., or 8S. rariflora, Drejer. It grows 
in the same situations, and is often very difficult to distinguish, even as a 
variety. 
2, S. auriculeefolia, Vahl. (fig. 822). Rock Statice.—Resembles in 
many respects S. Limonium, but the tufted stock is more branched and 
compact. The leaves are much smaller, usually scarcely one and rarely 
two inches long, with shorter stalks, and, when dry, often show a lateral 
nerve on each side of the midrib, but never any diverging veins. Stems 
about 6 to 10 inches high. Spikes more compact, with rather larger flowers 
than in S. Limonium, but the spikes themselves are fewer and more 
distant, forming an elongated, not a corymbose panicle. The bracts are 
greener and longer. S. dinervosa, G. K. Sm. WS. Dodarti, Gir., and S. 
occidentalis, Lloyd. 
