Salicornia Europaea (Noun)
Meaning
Fleshy maritime plant having fleshy stems with rudimentary scalelike leaves and small spikes of minute flowers; formerly used in making glass.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The glassmakers of 18th century England imported large quantities of salicornia europaea from the salt marshes of Europe and mixed it with sand and lime to produce glass soda.
- If you were walking along a salt marsh during the summer months you may come across salicornia europaea, a jointed fleshy succulent that looks similar to miniature bony fingers.
- Salicornia europaea is native to Europe, western and central Asia, and south-western Africa and is commonly found in saltmarshes on the sea shores and in estuaries.
- The introduction of salicornia europaea to Australia was due to the activities of early European settlers who brought the plant with them for its utility as a glassmaker's plant.
- Today salicornia europaea is also being evaluated for its value as a commodity crop, with uses not only in the glass industry but also as an ingredient in organic soap and animal feed.