FAMILY 67. CHENOPODIACEAE Stem erect, ascending, or prostrate. Leaves exstipulate, sometimes wanting. Flowers inconspicuous, greenish. Perianth simple, of 1-5 imbricate segments, herbaceous or membranous, persistent, rarely wanting. Stamens as many as and opposite the perianth-segments or fewer, inserted on the receptacle or the base of the perianth. Anthers attached by the back, opening inwards or laterally by longitudinal slits, curved inwards in the bud. Ovary superior, rarely (_Beta_) half-inferior, 1-celled. Ovule 1, on a basal funicle, curved. Stigmas 2-5. Fruit dehiscing by a lid or indehiscent. Seed with a curved, peripheral embryo.--Genera 26, species 120. (_SALSOLACEAE._) (Plate 40.) 1. Embryo spiral. Albumen wanting or separated in two parts by the embryo. 2 Embryo more or less ring-or horseshoe-shaped or folded together. Albumen wholly or partly enclosed by the embryo, rarely wanting. 11 2. Bracteoles small, scale-like. Perianth herbaceous or fleshy. Stigmas thread-shaped, papillose all round. Leaves glabrous, fleshy.--Species 10. Some are used as vegetables or for making soda. (Including _Chenopodina_ Moq., _Lerchia_ Hall., _Schanginia_ C. A. Mey., _Schoberia_ C. A. Mey., and _Sevada_ Moq.) [Tribe SUAEDEAE.] =Suaeda= Forsk. Bracteoles equalling or exceeding the perianth. Perianth usually membranous. Stigmas papillose on the inside. Leaves usually hairy. [Tribe SALSOLEAE.] 3 3. Seed horizontal. Disc usually inconspicuous. [Subtribe SODINAE.] 4 Seed vertical. Disc usually lobed. [Subtribe ANABASINAE.] 6 4. Perianth 5-lobed, hardening to the top and wingless in the fruit. Filaments flattened. Disc inconspicuous. Embryo in a conical spiral. Shrubs with continuous branches and alternate leaves.--Species 2. North Africa to the Sahara. (Plate 40.) =Traganum= Del. Perianth 4-5-parted or of 4-5 free segments, not hardening or at the base only and furnished with a horizontal wing in the fruit. 5 5. Branches jointed. Leaves scale-like, opposite, connate in pairs. Shrubs. Perianth-segments free. Anthers blunt. Disc lobed, enlarged in the fruit. Embryo in a flat spiral.--Species 2. North Africa. =Haloxylon= Bunge Branches continuous. Disc usually inconspicuous.--Species 20. Some of them are used as vegetables or in medicine or furnish soda. “Saltwort.” (Including _Caroxylon_ Thunb.) =Salsola= L. 6. Perianth of 2 inner and 3 outer segments of which two are in front and one behind. Fruiting perianth winged, not hardened. Seed compressed dorsally. Flowers solitary, more rarely in clusters, and then branches jointed and leaves opposite. 7 Perianth of 3 inner and 2 outer segments of which one is in front and one behind. Fruiting perianth more or less hardened. Seed compressed laterally. Branches continuous. 8 7. Branches jointed. Leaves opposite, sometimes reduced to scales. Filaments awl-shaped. Style short.--Species 5. North Africa and Nubia. Some yield soda or are used medicinally. =Anabasis= L.