Flora Medica

PLUMBAGINACEJE.Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 269.STATICE.Flowers in panicled spikes. Calyx plaited, scarious. Corolladeeply 5-parted. Stamens inserted into the base of the corolla.Utricle 1 -seeded, enclosed in the calyx.976. S. caroliniana Walter fl.carol. 118. Bigelow med. lot.ii. t. 25. Common in the salt marshes of the United States,where it is called " Marsh Rosemary."Root perennial, large, fleshy, fusiform or branched. Leaves narrowobovate,on long petioles, smooth, veinless, obtuse, mucronated, leveland flat on the margin, in which respect they differ from S. Limonium,which is undulated. Scape round, smooth, slightly scaly, flexuoseterminated by a panicle of numerous branches, which bear the flowerson the upper side only. Flowers alternate, erect, mostly in pairs, butappearing singly in consequence of one expanding before the other.Peduncles short, forked, concealed by several sheathing scales. Calyxfunnel-shaped, scarious and pink at the edge, 5-angled, the angles ciliateand ending in long acute teeth with sometimes, not always, minute intermediateteeth. Petals spathulate, obtuse, longer than the calyx, palebluish purple. Stamens inserted in the claws of the petals ;anthersheart-shaped. Ovary small, obovate, with 5 ascending styles shorterthan the stamens. Fruit oblong, invested with the persistent calyx.Hoot a most powerful and intense astringent ; chiefly used as a localremedy in aphthae and similar affections of the mouth and fauces; hasbeen employed with success in Cynanche maligna.ARMERIA.Flowers capitate, surrounded by an imbricated involucre,which is prolonged at the base into a tube. Receptacle paleaceous.Otherwise the same as Statice.977. A. vulgaris Willd. enum. hort. Berol i. 333. R. and S.vi.771 Statice Armeria Willd. ii.sp.pl 1522. Schkuhr. bot.handb. t. 87. S. capitata Lam, fl. fr.iii. 63. Dry sandyplaces in many parts of Europe, and in Labrador. (CommonThrift.)Roots thick, black. Scape 1-2 feet high, rarely rather downy.Leaves radical, somewhat coriaceous, 4-5 inches long, ribbed, entire,smooth, 2-3 lines broad, rather acute, taperingat the base into achannelled petiole. Flowers pale red, or white, in heads the size of acherry. Sepals usually larger than the flowers. The sheath of theinvolucre reflexed, an inch long. Segments of the involucre more orless mucronate. Dr. Ebers speaks of the flowers of this plant, vul-479