444 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



commerce with the Bedouin Arabs, who preserve it in 

 bottles and use it in the same manner as honey. It is by 

 some supposed to be the manna of Scripture, but does not 

 agree with the description given of that substance. (See 

 Manna, page 107). 



Salt Tree (Tamarix onentalis), A native of Western 

 India. It is a most remarkable tree, and of rapid growth. 

 Trees, six or seven years of age, measure 5 feet in girth, and 

 fall in twenty years from old age. It contains n:uch salt, 

 with which the tree becomes encrusted, and is used by the 

 natives to season their food. The wood when burned has 

 a very offensive odour. 



The Sea-Heath Family. 



(Feankexiace^.) 



Herbs, shrubs, or small frutlets. Leaves opposite, with 

 a membranous sheathing base. Flowers solitary, sessile, 

 and closely surrounded with leaves, generally pink. Sepals 

 4 or 5, united in a tube. Petals 4 or 5, often with a nectary 

 appendage. Stamens 4 to 6, or more. Pistils 1- 2- or 

 3-parted. Fruit a 1- celled valve capsule, enclosed within 

 the calyx. 



This family consists of above 20 species, all widely dis- 

 tributed over Europe, Noith Africa, and Austraha. Fran- 

 kenia pulvernlenta and F. Icevis, both traihng plants, are found 

 on the sea-shores in Britain. F. paucijlora, a pretty green- 

 house frutlet, native of New South Wales, has been long 

 cultivated at Kew. Beatsonia portulacifolia^ an erect stiff 

 shrub, is found only in the island of St. Helena, but is now 

 believed to be extinct. 



In alliance ^s^-ith FranJceniacecE is a small family called 

 Viviamacece, consisting of a dozen or more species of herbs 

 or slender frutlets, with hoary leaves and pretty pink and 

 white fiowers. They are natives of Chili. Viviania cristata 

 has been introduced at Kew. 



