FRANKENIACEAE, in botany, the sea-heath family, comprising four genera and 6o species of salt-loving herbs, with jointed stems. There is one British species, Frankenia laevis, the sea-heath; and in North America, there are three species, F. Jamesii, found from Colorado to Texas ; and F. grandi f olia, the alkali-heath, and F. Palmeri, the yerba reuma of the Spanish Californians, both native to California.