S A L S O L A Kali,
Prickly Saltwort,
P E N T A N D R I A Digynia,
G en. Char. Cal. 5-eleft; its bafe capfular. Cor,
none. Seed 1, with fpiral cotyledons.
Spec, Char. Herbaceous, procumbent. Leaves awl-
fliaped, fpinous, rough. Flowers axillary. Calyx
margined,
Syn. Salfola Kali. Linn, Sp. PL 32a, Hud/, 107,
With. 278. Hull. 57. Dick/. H. Sicc./a/c, 12. 14,
Woodv. Med. Bot. t. 143. -
Kali lpinofum cochleatum. Rati Syn. 107,
E R Y abundant on all fandy fea-fhores, flowering copi-,.
oufly in July.
Root annual, fibrous. Stem very much branched, fpreading
in all directions, and forming a large round bufli, almoft in-
acceflible on account of the numerous prickly leaves, which
are alternate, fpreading, awlfliaped, channelled, dilated at the
bafe, rough, each tipped with a very {harp fpine. Flowers
axillary, folitary, feflile, with three bradtese, refembling the
leaves at the bafe of each. Leaves of the calyx externally
dilated intq a broad reddifh waved margin; internally clofely
approaching each other, and covering the feed like a capfule.
The feed is top-lhaped, and its cotyledons curioufly twilled
into a fpiral form; by which character this genus is elfentially
diltinguifhed from Chenopodtum, and ah others of the fame
natural order.
Sal/ola Kali contributes more generally to the manufa&ure
of Soda, for making glafs, than Chenopodium marttimum, but
js not reckoned equal to fome other fpecies of Sal/ola,