STATICE ARMERIA. THRIFT.
STATICE Armer ia ; foliis linearibus, scapo simplici, floribus capitatis, capitulo rotundato.
STATICE Armeria. Linn. Sp. P i. p. 394. Huds. A n g l p. 132. Lig h t/. Scot. p. 173. With. Bot. A r r . ed. 4.
vol. 2. p. 314. Hoffm. Germ. ml. 1. P . I. p. 150. Willd. Sp. P l .p . 1523. Smith Fl. B r it. p. 340.
Engl. Bot. t. 9,9.6. Decand. Fl. Fr. ed. 3. ml. 3. p . 419. Fl. Gall. Syn. p. 202. A it. Hort. Kerv.
ed. 2. ml. 2. p. 179. Pers. Syn. PI. ml. 1. p. 332. Wahl. Lapp. p. 76. N u it. Am. PL P . I. p. 206.
Hook. FL Scot. p. 97.
STATICE montana minor. Thrift, see Gilliflovver. R ail Syn. p . 203.
Dan. Liden bietgnellike. Dut. Zeegras. Fr. Gazon d\Espagne. Germ. Das Seegras. It. Planta da seiteJusti.
Norw. Gaaseblomster. Port. Cram romano. Span. Gazon. Swed. Strandblomster. Welsh. Archmain.
Class a n d Order. P EN TA N D R IA PEN TA G Y N IA .
(Natural Order. PLUMBAGINE iE , Juss., Decand., Hook. Cal. tubular, plaited, persistent. Cor. monopetalous,
equal, or rarely pentapetalous. Siam, definite, hypogynous in the monopetalous genera, epipetalous in the polypetalous
ones. Ovary one, superior, one-seeded. Ovule pendulous from the end of a seedstalk arising from the base of the ovary.
Styles five, rarely, three or four. Stigmas as many. Utricles generally closed. Seed pendulous. Testa simple. Embryo
straight. Radicle superior.
Herbaceous or somewhat shrubby. Leaves alternate or scattered, undivided, somewhat sheathing at the base. Flowers
in spikes or heads. B r.)
Gen. Char. Cal. monophyllus, infundibuliformis, plicatus, scariosus. Pet ala quinque. Fructus calyce tectus. Semen
Gen. Char. Cal. of one piece, infundibuliform, plaited, scariose. Pet. five. F ruit invested with the calyx. Seed
solitary.
Radix perennis, oblique descendens, crassa, subfusiformis,
superne reliquiis foliorum vetustorum vestita, inferne
fibrosa.
Folia omnia radicalia, numerosa, cæspitosa, laxa, linearia,
canaliculata, fiexuosa, glabra, vel sub lente solummodo
paululum hirsuta, inferne latiora, membranacea, alba,
vel fusca, superne acutiuscula, margine omnino inte-
gerrima.
Scapi bi- ad quadri- unciales, sæpe plures ex eadem radice,
erecti, simplices, teretes, pubescentes, pilisplerumque
deflexis, primo ortu rnembrana tubulosa, triangulari,
involucro adnata, tecti.
Flores capitati, rosei, numerosi.
Involucrum triphyllum : foliolis ovatis, concavis, viridibus,
margine scariosis al bis, basi rnembrana tubulosa lace-
rata unitis.
Bracteæ numerosas, foliolis involucri simulantes, sed magis
membranacete.
Calyx monophyllus, parvus, erectus, infundibuliformis, hir- j
sutus, viridis, margine scarioso, membranaceo, albo,
quinque-dentato, dentibus setaceis.
Petala quinque, ovata, unguiculata, erecto-patentia.
Stamina quinque. Filamenta petalis opposita. Antheræ
parvæ, flavo-virides.
Germen parvum, superum, viride, angulatum.
Styli longi, vix staminibus breviores, filiformes, albi, basi |
elegantissime hirsuti. Stigma obtusum.
Pericarpium: Utriculus oblongus, calyce persistente tectus,
. apice quinqué-angulatus.
Semen unicum, inversum, oblongo-Cylindraceum.
Podospermum longum, e basi utriculi ad apicem seminis as-
cendens.
Embryo longitudino fere seminis, erectus, compressus. Ra-
dicula supera.
Root perennial, obliquely descending, subfusiform, above
clothed with the remains of old leaves, below fibrous.
Leaves all radical, numerous, tufted, lax, linear, grooved,
flexuose, glabrous, or under a microscope only a little
hairy, below broader, membranaceous, white or brown,
above rather acute, with the margin quite entire.
Scapes from two to four inches long, often many from the
same root, erect, simple, rounded, pubescent, generally
with deflexed hairs, on its first appearance covered
by a tubular triangular membrane, which is ad-
nate with the involucre.
Flowers capitate, rose-coloured, numerous.
Involucre triphyllous: leaflets ovate, concave, green, the
margin scarious, white, at the base united with a lacerated
tubular membrane.
Bracteas numerous, resembling the leaflets o f the involucre,
but more membranaceous.
Calyx monophyllous, small, erect, infundibuliform, hairy,
green, scarious at the margin, membranaceous, white,
five-toothed, with the teeth setaceous.
Petals five, ovate, clawed, erecto-patent.
Stamens five. Filaments opposite the petals. Anthers
small, yellow-green.
Germen small, superior, green, angulate.
Styles long, scarcely shorter than the stamens, filiform,
white, beautifully hairy at the base. Stigma obtuse.
Pericarp : an oblong utricle, covered with "the persistent
calyx, five-angular at the apex.
Seed single, inverted, oblongo-cylindrical.
Podosperm long, ascending from the base of the utricle to
the top of the seed.
Embryo nearly as long as the seed, erect, compressed.
Radicle superior.
Fig. 1 ,1, 1. Plants. Fig. 2. Small cluster of flowers with the bracteas. Fig. 3. Calyx. Fig. 4. Flower removed from
the calyx. Fig. 5. Petals cohering by.their base, and stamens. Figs. 6 and 7. Front and back view o f anthers. Fig. 8.
Pollen. Fig. 9. Pistil. Fig. 10. Single style. Fig. 11. Germen cut open and showing the ovule. Fig. 12. Pericarp
inclosed in the scariose calyx. Fig. 13. Pericarp removed from the calyx. Fig. 14. Pericarp cut open longitudinally
to show the seed. Fig. 15. Seed with its stalk. Fig. 16. Seed cut open transversely. Fig. 17. Embryo.__all
but Figs. 1, 2, and 3, more or less magnified. -
There are several peculiarities about this plant that are well worthy o f notice. In the immense and heterogeneous class o f
Pentandria there are only three British genera that have five styles, of which this is one ; and these styles are beset with delicate
white patent hairs near their base. The calyx is singularly scariose at the extremity, and the five nerves run nine up
into the white membrane, themselves being of a green colour tinged with red, give the flower a beautifully delicate appearance,
especially when seen through the microscope. The foliage affords a remarkably good example of linear and channelled
leaves.
When this plant is young, and the flowerstalks are first seen to rise from the crown of the root, and still embosomed in the
leaves, they are covered with a tubular but triangular scariose sheath, the summit of which bursts into a three-leaved or triphyllous
membrane; while the lower part remains tubular and lacerated at its base, surrounding the upper part of the scape.
The Statice Armeria usually grows by the sea-shore, and is very common in such situations throughout England, never
being found further inland till you come to the most elevated of our mountains, especially those o f S cotland; thus being, as
Lightioot justly observes, “ the most humble and most lofty of plants.” On the continent of Europe it is likewise equally
abundant, covering the low shores o f the Mediterranean, and all along the coasts of France and Holland, and also seen upon
the summits of the highest alps'of Switzerland.'
There appears to be no reason whatever that should hinder this plant from being found in a state of nature in our inland
plams; for as an inhabitant of the garden none is more easy of cultivation. I t derives its name o f Thrift, as is supposed, from
the facility and rapidity of its growth when planted in pleasure-grounds, in which it is commonly used as an edging to borders
instead ol Box. I t has the recommendatory quality of flourishing as well in the smoke of London as in the clear breezes of
either of its native spots.
The alpine variety is generally small, with compact leaves, and the scape and even the lower parts of the leaves themselves
are scabrous. In Orkney, upon the shores of N orth Ronaldsha, I have found-the whole plant scarcely rising an inch from the
surface of the ground, and the head quite sessile.