in botany: A genus of plants belonging to the class of pentandria, and order of pentagynia; and in the natural system ranging under the 48th order, aggregate. The calyx is monophyllous, entire, folded, and scarious. There are five petals, with one superior seed. There are 22 species, the armeria, pseudarmeria, limonium, incana, cordata, reticulata, echigodes, speciosa, tatarica, echinus, flexuosa, purpurea, minute, suffruticosa, monopetala, aurea, ferulacea, linifolia, pruinosa, finuata, mucronata, and lobata. Three of these are British plants.

1. The armeria, thrift, or sea gilly-flower, has a simple naked naked stem about six inches high. The radical leaves are like gras. The flowers are terminal, pale red, with a round head, and not very large. This plant flowers in July or August, and grows in meadows near the sea.

2. Limonium, sea-lavender. The stem is naked, branch- ed, and about a foot high. The radical leaves are long, pointed, and grow on footstalks. The flowers are blue, and grow on long spikes on the tops of the branches. It grows on the sea-coast in South Britain.

3. Reticulata, matted sea-lavender. The stem is pro- strate, and terminated by a panicle of flowers. The branches are naked, barren, and bent back. The leaves are wedge-shaped. This species is also found on the sea-coast of South Britain.