THE THRIFT FAMILY 
[ORDER XLVI. PLUMBAGINACEiE] 
A SMALL group of herbs and undershrubs inhabiting salt marshes and sea-shores, and 
occasionally to be found on high mountains, in most of the temperate parts of the world. 
Many species are found on the shores of the Mediterranean and in the salt steppes of the East. 
A few species are cultivated in gardens and several exotic ones are to be found in hot-houses, 
notably the Plumbagos from which the name of the family is taken. Many species, when 
found in their native stations, contain iodine, others are very acrid, and others powerfully 
astringent. 
I. Sea-Lavender (Limonium). Flowers in i-sided clusters (panicles) or spikes ; petals united 
at the base ; styles smooth ; capsules decaying to free the seed. 
II. Thrift (Stat'ice). Flowers in dense round heads with a membranous tubular sheath ; 
petals scarcely united even at the base ; styles hairy below ; capsules decaying to free 
the seed. 
I. SEA-LAVENDER. (LIMONIUM. Hill.) — Flowers of various colours, 2 or 3 together in 
little spikelets, with a bract at the base of each flower and 2 bracts at the base of each spikelet, 
forming 1 -sided branched clusters (panicles) or spikes. Calyx-tube separating into 5 lobes, 
membranous, free from and inserted below the seedcase (inferior) ; corolla of 5 petals, united at 
the base, tube-shaped, remaining with the fruit (persistent), inserted below the seedcase 
(hypogynous) ; stamens 5, inserted with the corolla below the seedcase (hypogynous ) ; carpels 5, 
styles 5, smooth ; fruit a capsule, i-celled and i-seeded, decaying to free the seed (indehiscent). 
Herbs with oblong, fleshy leaves all from the root (radical.) ( Statice . Linn) 
Instead of fading and losing their colour in the usual way of flowers, the bracts and petals 
of members of this genus become dry and membranous, keeping their delicate colour for many 
months, and so have become a rather favourite decoration in rooms in the autumn and winter 
when fresh flowers are scarce. 
Calyx 5-lobed with 5 minute intermediate teeth ; leaves veined from the midrib to the margin 
(pinnately). / 
(1) Common Sea Lavender. (Limdnium vulgdre.) — Spikelets densely packed together in 
short, spike-like branches at the top of the flowering stems ; leaves oblong, 2-6 inches 
long. 
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