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Show 164 COMMON GROMWELL. HISTORY. It grows in England on a dry gravelly soil. Its flowers ap. pear in May and June. The seeds have the most exquisite polish, and are of a stony hardness and appearance. Hence Pliny, speakingof these, says, ‘* Nec quicquam inter herbas ma. jore quidem miraculo aspexi. Tantus est decor, velut aurificum arte alternis inter folia candicantibus margaritis: tam exquisita difficultas lapidis ex herba nascentis.” MEDICAL USE, As the Jungwort gained its reputation and trial from the re. semblance to the lungs, so superstition thought that Providence pointed out this as a remedy against the stone, the seeds being made to indicate such virtue, being stones themselves. Haller says that these effervesce with an acid. Thefact is, that the internal part is of the nature of almonds, with moreoilinit, and a decoction of the seed of the lithospermum is lubricating, and hence beneficial in the stone and strangury. Murray says of this remedy, ‘* Lotum movere hisce quidem credo, et in stranguria efficere aliquid posse, quum ob nucleum emulsive nature est,” The root is used by ladies as paint, OFFICINAL BUGLOSS, OR ALKANET. ANCHUSA OFFICINALIS. Class V. Pentandria. Order I. Monogynia. Essent, Gen. Cxar. Corolla funnel-shaped, the throat closed by prominences: Seed hollowed at the base. Spxc. Cuan. Leaves lanceolate, rough: Spikes both lateral and terminal imbricated: Calyx five-parted. a DESCRIPTION. Tue plant rises about two feet. Leaves alternate, narrow, lanceolate, rough, hairy. Flowers purple. Calyx rough, cut into five acute segments. Corolla funnel-shaped. Limb cut into five obtuse segments. Seeds four. HISTORY. This plant is seldom found wild in England, but is common on the continent, andis cultivated in our gardens. under the natural order Asperifoliz. MEDICAL USE. It arranges Boerhaave, speaking of this plant, says: ‘* In tussi invete- |