Limonium sinuatum.
The Wavy leaf sea lavender was previously known as Statice sinuata.
They are evergreen clump forming annuals or perennials.
Leaves, up to 12 (16) cm long and 1 to 3.5 cm wide are all in a basal rosette.
They are on a petiole that is shorter than the blade.
The blades have a tapering base that runs onto the petiole as wavy wings.
The grey-green oblong to lance-shaped blades have lobes that extend almost to the midrib (pinnatifid).
The around 5 rounded lobes on each side alternate with each other.
The tip of the terminal lobe has an abrupt point around 2 mm long.
Branched terminal inflorescences are on a stiff erect leafless stem (scape) 50 to 70 cm high.
The upper section is branched with nodes 2 to 4 or 5 cm apart.
At each node the 2 roughly equal branches are at right angles.
The scape and all branches have 3 to 5 wings up to 3 mm wide.
Wings have a wavy edge with stiff white hairs up to 1.5 mm long.
Most forks have 2 or 3 linear leaf-like bracts.
These are up to 8 cm long and 0.5 cm wide at the lower nodes.
Those at the upper nodes are 0.5 to 1 cm long.
The terminal branches are small dense spikelets with 1 to 3 flowers.
The flowers have hairy bracts at the base.
The outer bract is narrowly triangular often with a bristle-like tip.
One inner bract is wider and the others are like the outer bract.
The bracts, sometimes with 2 or 3 teeth have stiff white hairs all over.
The narrow calyx tube 7 mm long expands to a limb that is 6 mm across.
The limb edge is irregular with no distinct lobes (erose).
The 5 nerves do not reach the rim and there may be tiny hairs on the tube.
The base is white and the upper section is mauve or purple.
The corolla, around 1 cm long has a tubular base and 5 spreading white lobes.
Cultivars have yellow, purple, mauve or pink flowers.
The 5 stamens insert near the base of petals.
Dorsifixed anthers open through longitudinal slits.
The oblong white ovary, of 5 fused carpels has 1 locule with 1 ovule.
There are 5 free styles with small stigmas.
The fruit, around 5 mm are utricles (small, dry, thin-walled inflated fruit with 1 seed) which are similar to an achene.
Three subspecieds are recognised:
Limonium sinuatum subsp. beaumierianum,
Limonium sinuatum subsp. romanum and
Limonium sinuatum subsp. sinuatum.
J.F.
