BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
9.5 
GENUS I. 
THE TAMARISK. (Tamarix, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA TRIGYNIA. 
Generic Character. _Calyx 4-5 parted. Petals four or five. I straggling, glandular and oblique at the apex. Seeds inserted into the 
Stamens four or five, alternate with the petals, and almost entirely , base of the valves, or almost in the centre of the capsule. Coma of 
distinct. Ovarium tapering much to the point. Stigmas three, long, j the seeds consisting of numerous simple hairs. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —This genus used formerly to include both the French and German Tamarisks ; but the 
latter having been removed, it now contains only one species. The genus is placed in the Linnman class 
Pentandria, from its five stamens ; and in the order Trigynia, from its three stigmas. The name of Tamarix is 
said by Sir TV. J. Hooker to be derived “ from the Tamarisci, a people who inhabited the banks of the Tamar is. 
now Tambra , in Spain, where the Tamarisk abounds.” 
1. _THE COMMON, OR FRENCH TAMARISK. (Tamarix gallica, Lin.) 
Engravings.— -Eng. Bot., t. 1318 ; 2nd ed., t. 447. 
Specific Character. —Lateral clusters numerous. Leaves lanceolate, spurred, acute. Branches smooth. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —No shrub stands the sea-breeze so well as the Tamarisk. In its native state it grows on 
the sea-coast of Cornwall and part of Devonshire ; and even when cultivated, it may be planted close to the 
water’s edge without running any risk of its being injured by the sea breeze. In July it produces its flowers 
in long spikes, which spring from the stalk below the leaves ; the leaves only appearing at the termination of 
the branch. 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
THE PURSLANE FAMILY. (Portulace^, Juts.) 
There is only one British species in this order, and that is a little annual weed called TVater Blinks, or Water 
Chickweed (Montia fontana , Lin.). The flowers are very small, and appear in April and May. 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
THE HOUSELEEK FAMILY. (Crassulace,®, Dec.) 
Character of the Order. —Sepals from 3 to 20, more or less 
united at the base. Petals inserted in the bottom of the calyx, either 
distinct or cohering in a monopetalous corolla. Stamens inserted with 
the petals, either equal to them in number, and alternate with them, 
or twice as many, those opposite the petals being shortest, and arriving 
at perfection after the others; filaments distinct, subulate; anthers 
of 2 cells, bursting lengthwise. Hypogynous scales several, one at 
the base of each ovarium, sometimes obsolete. Ovaria of the same 
number as the petals, opposite to which they are placed around an 
imaginary axis ; one-celled, tapering into stigmata. Fruit consisting of 
several follicles, opening by the suture in their face. Seeds attached to 
the margins of the suture, variable in number ; embryo straight in the 
axis of the albumen, with the radicle pointing to the hilum. Succulent 
herbs or shrubs. Flowers usually in cymes, sessile, arranged uni¬ 
laterally along the divisions of the cymes. (Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —All the genera belonging to this order consist of succulent herbaceous plants, generally 
with showy flowers arranged in cymes, and fleshy leaves. The principal British genera are the Navelwort, the 
Stonecrop, and the Houseleek. 
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