POLLINATION. Wind-and self-pollination, as far as is known; the insignificant flowers, devoid of honey, appear to exclude insect-pollination.--520 species. Most of them are annual (out of 26 native species only 5 are perennial); inhabiting salt-marshes and salt-steppes, and growing as weeds (most frequently on garden or field soil containing manure) in this country, especially species of _Chenopodium_ and _Atriplex_. The majority are found outside the Tropics, and play a very important part, for example, in the Asiatic salt-steppes. They grow gregariously in large masses. USES. Comparatively few. The only important one is _Beta vulgaris_ (from the Mediterranean basin), with its different varieties, viz. Beet-root, Cattle-beet or Red-beet, Sugar-beet, and others. These are biennial, making in the first year a root which acts as a reservoir of reserve material, with a rosette of leaves, and in the second year using this material in the production of a long stem, leaves and flowers. The primary root has been developed by cultivation into a very thick and fleshy tap-root; its mode of increase in thickness deviates from that of other roots, concentric rings of vascular bundles being formed from a cambial ring developed outside the previous ring. In this way several rings of vascular bundles separated by medullary rays, alternating with rings of parenchyma, may be found in the root of a Beet. Besides _Beta vulgaris_, var. _hortensis_ (Beet-root), the following are also cultivated: var. _cicla_ (Leaf-beet, “Mangold,” or “Roman Spinach ”), _Spinacia oleracea_ and _Atriplex hortensis_ as Spinach; a form of the latter and of Spinach are grown as ornamental plants. The tubers of _Ullucus tuberosus_ are used as potatoes; _Chenopodium quinoa_, in Chili and Peru, is an important farinaceous plant. Soda is made from some (_Salsola kali_, _Chenopodina maritima_ and others). Aromatic properties are rare: _Chenopodium ambrosioides_ and _botrys_. Order 4. =Batidaceæ.= _Batis maritima_, a bushy West Indian maritime plant.