OCR Text |
Show •I 71:Je Hijlory of ·P L A N T S. - dia1, yellowiili, or whitiili colour; this is ufually about half an inch thick at the bafe and an inch and half, or more, at the top: it is furrounded every-where with a num~ her of fquammofe leaves, half an inch long, and a third of an inch broad, .of a yellowiili or purplifh colour, and terminating in an obtufe point: the flowers are nu.:.: merous, large, and ufually of a purpli{h colour; they ftand in clufiers at the tops of the ftalk, with leaves intermixed among them : it is eafily feparated at it's bafe from the root" it grows on, and leaves a hollow in it, but without the leaft ve!l:ige of any fibres. It is a native of the Ea!l:, and of fame parts of Europe. C. Bauhine calls it, HypocifHs officinarum. It varies in t:olour extreamly, and thefe varieties have been defcribed as fpecies. . _ We ufed to have an exprefTed juice of it kept in the lhops, as an aihingent; but at prefent all that is found there is counterfeit. R H I Z 0 P H 0 R A. T HE calyx is a perianthium, divided into four oblong, erect, acuminated, and permanent fegments: the corolla is erect, and ihorter than the calyx 1 it is divided into four lanceolated fegments: the ftamina are twelve erect filaments, alternately lhorter; the anther<E are fmall; the receptacle is oval ; the germen is fubulated; there is fcarce any fiyle; the fiigma is acute: there is no pericarpium: the recepta-cle is of a fubovate figure, fle!hy, and contains the bafe of the feed, which is fingle, very long, of a clavated figure, and pointed, This genus comprehends the Mangles of Plumier ; the !lamina vary from eight to twelve. L Y THRUM. H E calyx is a cylindric, firiated perianthium, compofed of a fingle leaf, di-vided in to twelve denticles, alternately fmaller at the edge: the corolla confifts of fix oblong, obtufe, patent petals, inferted by their ungues into the fegments of the cup: the ftamina are twelve filiform filaments, of the length of the cup ; the upper ones art! ihorter than the inferior : the anthera~ are fimple and affurgent; the germen is oblong ; the !l:yle is fubulated, of the length of the fiamina, and declinate: the fiigma is orbiculated and affurgent ; the fruit is an oblong, acuminated, covered, and bilocular capfule ; the feeds are numerous and fmall. This genus comprehends the Salicaria of Tournefort. In fome of the fpecies, how-ever, a fixth part of the number is wanting. I. Lythrum Joliis oppojitis. The oppojite-leaved Lythrum. 10urp t--.fpiltcn m tnoUJ:::btrb. The root is white, woody, thick, and divaricated; the ftalks are angular, thick, robu!l:, and four or five feet high ; they are ufually of a reddiih colour; the leaves ftand very irregularly, fometimes two, fometimes three, or more, at a joint ; they are long, narrow, and pointed at the extremity ; the flowers are of a fine florid red ; they fiand in long fpikes on the tops of the fialks and branches. It is common with us about waters. C. Bauhine calls it, Lyfimachia purpurea fpicata. T he fialk is fometimes hexagonal, fometimes quadrangular ; the leaves font~ times !land alternately. Under thefe feveral forms, it has been defcribed as fo many di!l:inCl: fpecies. 2. Lythrum foliis alternis linearibus, jloribus hexandris. The alternate, linear-leaved Lythrum, with fix )lamina in the flower. The root is fi brous; the fialks are round, ftriated, green, and eight inches high: the leaves fiand alternately; they are oblong, narrow, and very like thofe of the common hyffiJp : the flowers are moderately large, oblong, and of a pale blue colour; they Hand either fingly, or two together, in the alre of the leaves, from the b~ttom to the top of the plant. 5 X It |