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BLITUM VIRGATUM. STRAWBERRY BUTE*
Oafs and Order.
MONANDRIA D lGYNlA.
Generic Character.
Cat 3-fidus. Petala o. Sem. i. calyce baccato.,
Specific Charafter and Synonyms.
SSLITUM *virgatum capitellis fparfis lateralibus. Linn. Syft*
Vegetal, ed. 1 4. Murr. -p. 5 3. Ait. Kew. v. i. p. p
ATRIPLEX fylveftris mori fruau. JBaub. Pin. p. gig.
ATRIPLEX fylveftris baccifera. Clnf. Hip. cxxxv.
This plant, not unfrequently met with in gardens, is known
to moft cultivators by the name of Strawberry Spinach ; the
leaves fomewhat refembling thofe of the latter, and the fruit
that of the former: C. BAUHINE likens its berries to thofe of
the Mulberry, to which they certainly bear a greater refemb-
lance: in moft of the fpecies of this genus the calyx exhibits
a very fingular phenomenon, when the flowering is over, it
increafes in fize, becomes flefhy, and finally pulpy, containing
the ripe feed, which however it does not wholly envelope;
thus from each clufter of flowers growing in the. alse of the
leaves are produced fo many berries, of a charming red ,co-
lour, to which the plant owes its beauty altogether, for the
flowers are final), herbaceous, and not diftinaiy vifible to the
naked eye; they can boaft however of being of the firft clafs
In the Linnean fyftem Monandria, to which few belong.
Strawberry Elite is a hardy annual, growing fpontaneoufly in
fome parts of France, Spain, and Tartary; is not a very old
inhabitant of our gardens, Mr. AITON mentioning it as being
firft cultivated by Mr. MILLER in. 1759. Its berries are pro
duced from June to September; in their tafte they have nothing
to recommend them, though not pleafant they are harmlefs.
CLUSIUS we believe to be the firft author who gives a
figure and defcription of it.
It affefts a dry foil, and open fituation ; in fuch there is no
neceflity to give any particular direaions for its cultivation,
as it comes up readily from feed fpontaneoufly fcattered, fo
much fo as fometimes to prove a troublefome weed.