Spec. Char. Stem herbaceous, spreading, (.eaves triangular- 
spear-shaped, somewhat halberd-shaped, smooth above, irregularly 
toothed ; the upper ones entire. Calyx of the fruit more or less 
tuberculated at the sides. 
• 
Engl. Bot. t. 936. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1494. — Wilhl. Sp. PI. v. iv. pt. 11 . p. 964. — 
Sm. FI. Brit. v. iii. p. 1091. ; Engl. Fl. v. iv. p. 257. — With. (7th edit.) v. ii. p. 
348. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 281. — Lindl. Syn. p. 217. — Hook. Brit. Fl. p.440. — 
Maer. Man. Brit. Bot. p. 196. — Davies’ Welsh Bot. p. 96. — Itelh. Fl. Cant. (3rd ed.) 
p. 415. — Purt. Midi. Fl. v. iii. p. 384. — Hook. Fl, Scot. p. 291. — Grev. Fl. Edin. p. 
212.- — Fl. Devon, pp. 161 & 140. — Johnst. Fl. Berwick, v. i. p. 223. — Winch’s Fl. 
of Norlliuml). and Durh. p. 65. — Walker’s Fl. of Oxf. p. 300. — Bab. Fl. Bath. p. 42. 
.—Dick. Fl. Abred. p. 58.— Irv. Lond. Fl p. 122.— Luxf. lleig. Fl. p. 86.— Cow. Fl. 
Guide, p. 23. — Mack. Catal. PI. of Irel. p 88 ; Fl. IKbern. p. 239. — Atriplex has- 
tata. Curt Fl. Lond. t. 118. — liuds FL AngL (2nded.) p.443. — Light. Fl. Scot, 
v. ii. p. 636.— Sibth. Fl. Oxon. p. 90. — Abb. Fl. Bedf. p. 219. — Purt. Midi. Fl. 
v. ii. p. 489. — Atriplex sylvestris folio hastatoseu deltoide, Ray’s Syn. p. 151. — 
Atriplex sylvestris vulgaris, Johnson’s Gcrarde, p. 326. 
Localities. — O n cultivated as well as waste ground, and on rubbish and dung- 
hills ; common. 
Flowers in June, July, and August. 
Root simple, slender, fibrous, and whitish. Stem usually up- 
right, from 1 to 3 feet high, 4-cornered, the angles obtuse, the sides 
somewhat grooved, a little swollen at the joints, smooth, often of a 
purplish colour, much branched quite to the bottom ; branches op- 
posite, striated, spreading, the lowermost very long, sometimes 
almost equal with the stem itself, and for the most part procum- 
bent. Leaves on the lower part of the stalk opposite, on longish 
petioles, triangular, somewhat halbert-shaped, having Hvo, large, 
pointed, spreading lobes, at the base, with many very unequal, 
sharp, scattered teeth, between them and the point; the base quite 
entire ; upper leaves mostly alternate, graduajly narrower, vvilh 
smaller lobes, or none at all, so that the floral ones are perfectly 
spear-shaped, as well as entire ; all more or less powdery, espe- 
cially on the under side. Flowers in axillary and terminal, long, 
upright, interrupted, often reddish spikes. The 2-valved calyx of 
the fertile flowers is armed at both sides with several prominent 
pointed tubercles, or prickles (see fig. 4) . It is these flowers only 
which produce seed, which is rather large, and finely dotted. 
A variety of this, y of Smith, in which the whole plant is pro- 
cumbent, more glaucous, often reddish, and somewhat fleshy, 
frequently occurs on sandy ground by the sea side, and in salt- 
marshes. 
In a young state this species is frequently eaten instead of 
Spinach and other greens. Birds are very fond of the seeds ; but 
cattle do not seem much to like the plant. In gardens and other 
cultivated ground it is a very troublesome weed, it should not there- 
fore be allowed to grow and seed on dunghills. 
Mr. Purton observes, in his excellent Midland Flora, that “ in 
the morning, before the dew is evaporated, this plant displays a 
surprising brilliancy ; the leaves and stem then being covered over 
with shining particles, as if they werS studded with diamonds.” 
