BETA 
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I. BETA MARITIMA. Sea Beet. Plate 171 
Beta sylvestris maritima Parkinson Theatr. Bot. 750 (1640); Ray Syn. ed. 3, 157 (1724). 
Beta maritima L. Sp. PI. ed. 2, 322 (1762); Syme Eng. Bot. viii, 8 (1868); Rouy FI. France xii, 39 
(1910). [B. vulgaris var. perennis L. Sp. PI. 222 (1753); B. vulgaris L. FI. Angl. 13 (1754); Hudson FI. Angl. 
93 (1762)]. 
leones: — Smith Eng. Bot. t. 285; FI. Dan. t. 1571 ; Beck in Reichenbach Icon, xxiv, t. 233, as B. vulgaris 
var. perennis. 
Camb. Brit. FI. ii. Plate iji. (a) Flowering shoots, (b) Leaves. ( c ) Flower (enlarged). ( d ) Flower 
(enlarged) in longitudinal section. ( e ) Lower part of stem, in transverse section. Norfolk (E. W. H.). 
Exsiccata : — Billot, 3191; Fries, xiii, 68; Reichenbach, 2452. 
Map 38. Beta maritima occurs on the coasts ot those counties which are shaded 
Perennial; glabrous. Root usually stout, not creeping. Stem eventually decumbent, 3 — 12dm., 
much branched, ends of the branches ascending, stout at the base which is perennial. Petioles 
stout, longer than the laminae. Laminae — lower ones ovate or subrhomboidal, margin somewhat 
undulating, very shortly acuminate at the apex, large, rather succulent ; upper ones subsessile, 
narrower ; lower ones up to about 1 5 cm. long and about half as broad. Inflorescences from about 
8 to 60 cm. long, slender ; the partial inflorescences sessile, subtended by a small narrow leaf, 
consisting of only 2 — 3 flowers, distant. Flowers sessile; July to September. Perianth about 
4 mm. in diameter ; segments 5, incurved, broad at the top, edges narrowly membranous. 
Stamens 5. Filaments subulate, about as long as the perianth. Stigmas 2 — 3. Seeds horizontal and 
? 2 — 3 in the fruit ; August to October. 
