140 



CHENOPODIACEjE. 



Salicornia. 



1. Salicornia herbacea, Linn. Common Saltwort, or Samphire. 

 Herbaceous, annual, erect or assurgent, the joints somewhat thickened at the summit and 



emarginately 2-toothed ; spikes elongated, tapering and rather obtuse at the summit. — Linn, 

 sp. (ed. 2.) 1. p. 5; Michx. fl. 1. p. 1 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 2 ; Ell. sk. l. p. 3 ; Torr. fl. 1. 

 p. 1 ; Beck, hot. p. 298 ; Moq.-Tand. Chenop. p. 114. S. Virginiaca, Linn. sp. 1. p. 4 ; 

 Pursh, fl. 1. p. 2. 



Stem 8-12 inches high, more or less branched, but almost or quite simple, succulent, 

 obscurely 4-sided ; the branches with numerous joints, which are somewhat truncate at the 

 summit, and furnished with two short usually obtuse teeth. Flowers placed in little hollows 

 at the base of the upper joints, which thus form very long slender terminal spikes ; each 

 consisting of an inflated succulent calyx, enclosing two stamens and the pistil. The stamens 

 expand at different times, and are slightly exserted : anther-cells ovoid, distinct. Ovary ovoid, 

 acute, terminating above in two short styles. 



Salt-marshes, Long Island, Staten Island, near New- York, and as far up the Hudson as the 

 salt water extends ; also at Syracuse and Salina. Fl. August - September. Fr. October. 

 The North American plant was once regarded as a distinct species, but it does not differ from 

 the S. lierbacea of Europe. 



2. Salicornia mucronata, Lag.? Dwarf Saltwort. 



Herbaceous, annual, erect ; the joints 4-angled at the base, with two acute ovate mucronate 

 teeth at the summit ; spikes very thick, obtuse. — Lag. pi. Barill. p. 52 ? Bigel. fl. Bost. 

 p. 2. S. Virginica, Moq.-Tand. Chenop. p. 115? 



Stem 4-8 inches high, moderately branched, thick and succulent : joints of the branches 

 and spikes short, terminating above in two broad ear-like scales or rudimentary leaves, which 

 are very distinct in dried specimens. Spikes 4-6 times as long as they are wide, nearly 

 three lines in diameter. Calyx turbinate, very narrowly margined. Ovary ovate, acute. 

 Styles 2, nearly distinct. Albumen very scanty. Embryo annular. 



Salt-marshes on Long Island. Fl. September. Easily distinguished from the preceding 

 by its low stem and short thick spikes, as well as the mucronate joints. I am not able to 

 determine whether Lagasca's plant is identical with Bigelow's. It is remarkable that Moquin- 

 Tandon should have described it under the name of »S. Virginica, Nuttall, (in whose work it 

 stands without a character,) and that he should have appended the sign of verification (an ! ), 

 while the only habitat he gives is Grenada near Nijar. The Spanish plant is described as 

 suffruticose, while ours is certainly annual ; but I have specimens of a Salicornia from Key 

 West, which agrees very well with the northern S. mucronata, except that the stem is woody 

 below : this, however, may be the effect of climate or age, as S. herbacea itself becomes 

 ligneous at the base late in the season. This and the preceding species are sometimes made 

 into pickles. They are often called Samphire, or Pigeon' s-foot. 



