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Show Bk The BRITISH HERBAL, Linneus explodes this, and gives to the genus that of Junias: but this will create in the mind of the young ftudent a double confufion, as it fets afide a received name, and as this now appropriated by a plant of the formerclafs, of Linnzus has been long ufed by authors in another fenfe, expreffing : turnep or navew kind. He alfo feparates fome of the fpecies under the name of crambe, becaufe the threads are fplit at the top; but thefe are too flight accidents to charatterife a genus. t he DTV FS FON BRT VS HH. E-R:B A L. DreadeeeDnoaoeeeeoe CL A & Ss XVI Plants whofe flower is compofed of tour verars, placed crofs-ways, and whofe feed-veffel is a SHORT POD OF SHALE. "Te are the plants authors call filiculofe. They agree inall refpects with thofe of the preceding clafs ; except in this, of the fhape andftruéture of the fruit, which is always truly diftin@, and is an effential claffical character. The filicula, or fhale, is of a rounded or flightly angulated form, and is terminated by a long point which was in the flower, the ftyle. Itis always compofed of two fides or valves, and {plits open lengthwife along their edges. Linnzus places this clafs among the setradynamia, diftinguifhing it after the manner of moft others fromthe filiquofe plants, or thofe whofe feed-veffel is a regular pod, only bya fubordinate arrange ment. The difference, however, is fufficient very well to fupport the difpofing them in feparate claffes; and hence will arife lefs confufion. The young botanift will always find his progrefs in the {cience the eafier, the greater is the number of diftinétions, provided they have juft foundationin nature. His perplexity always arifes fromthe great number under one general head. UKGSoeAsgsagageegesss I, Natives of BRITAIN. Thofe of which one or more fpecies are found naturally wild in this country. Geet Ne Us I, SHAY COLE WO:R T. CRAMB E. HE flower is compofedof four petals, which are placed regularly in a crofs direétion ; thefe are of an oval figure, and have very flender bottoms: the cup is formedof four little leaves, of an oblong, oval figure, andfalls with the flower: the feed-veffel is of an irreoular ficure, roundify but fomewhat oblong, :andraifedinto fourridges, whic! h terminate in one or morepoints. 1 ni a This fingu genus feems intended by nature to connect the filiquofe and the filiculofe kind 8, thofe with | y whofe fi ere 2 ike 4 + serail j d fhort ; pe ods, whofe flowers are alike: accordingly authors have been divided in Dele two heads aa to arrangeit, . : ny: r and Lin; n of thefe Ray places :it among the filiculofe, nzus among the mabye ehedttriekare o f t h e c y 1z iong th : but the ftruéture of the pod, when carefully examined, determines for the firft ed diftribution, Linnzus ranges it among the tetradyr the other two, in the “I. 1..Smooth Crambe, Bok & tO ie 37... Q) OP ee wake os 2. Sea-Rocket.. Crambe maritima brafice foliis. AA Crambe foliis afperis cruca marina difa. The root is long, thick, and divided into The root.is long, flender, and furnifhed, with many parts. The firft leaves are very large, and numerous: they are oblong, very broad, deeply and irreguJarly finuated at the edges; of a thick, flefhy fubftance, perfeétly {mooth, andofa bluith green: the ribs and veins are often purplifh. The ftalk rifes in the centre of thefe, and is round, thick, whitith, upright, and! branched: it grows to twofeet and half in height. The leaves on this are few: thofe toward the Jower part refemble fuch as rife from the root; but near the top they are fmall, of an oval fhape, pointed, and not at all waved at the edges. numerous fibres. The firft leaves are. few-and -fmall:. they are narrow, oblong, and a little indented; ufually there are about two notches on each. fide: thefe are of a yellowifh green colour, and quickly fade. The ftalk is round, weak, of a pale green, and fmooth, and is very much branched, The leaves on this are numerous, broad, oblong, and very deeply cut at the edges, in a manner fomewhat refembling the pinnated divifion: they are of a pale green colour, and of a flefhy fubftance. The flowers ftand at the tops of the ftalks and The flowers ftand at the tops of ftalks and branches, and are fmall and white. The feed-veffels are fhort and roundifh, and in branches ; and are large, and of a purplifh blue. The feed-veffels are fhort, thick, and two- each is contained a fingle large feed. edged : the feeds are large and brown. It is not uncommon on our fea-coafts, and flowers in June. C.Bauhinecalls it Brafica maritima monofpermos. In Englith it is called the Sea. cale, or Sea-cabbage. The people about the fea-coafts boil it in the way of favoys and cabbages, andthe like; and it is very well-tafted, and perfectly wholefome. This has led fometo takeit into their gardens,and it is preferred to moft other kinds at table. The root creeps under the furface, and the leaves are green all winter. DIEVISIOWN It is a native of our fea-coafts, and flowers in June. )I. C. Bauhinecalls it Eruca maritima Ttalica fili- qua hafte cfupidi fimili. Others call it Eruca ma- rina, and Cakile, The people about the coafts take thefeeds in sheumatic cafes, and, as is reported, with fucce, FOREIGN SPECIES Rough-podded Crambe. Crambefiliculis bicriftatis. \ and crefted form: the feeds are oval and brown: It is common in the fouth of France, and flowers in July. The root is thick, flender, and furnifhed with C. Bauhine calls it Erucago mon/peliaca filiqua quadrangula echinata.. Van Royen, Bunias; and many fibres. The firft leaves are numerous, oblong, and from this has arifen Linneus’s ufe of that word deeply indented on the edges in a pinnated form: as a name for the whole genus: eachleaf hasfour or five pairs of fegments thus divided, and is terminated by an oblong piece; and thefe are all ferrated and pointed. The ftalk is round, upright, weak, and not much branched: the colour is ufually a pale As we do not allow the crambe to be feparated from this otherwife than as fpecies of the fame genus, the divifion of the threads in the flower not being a markof greater diftinétion, weretain that name to the whole genus. green, fometimes redith, andit is hairy. The leaves on it are not divided in the manner of thofe at the root, but are oblong, and ferrated at the edges. The flowersftand at the tops of the ftalks and branches, and are fmall and yellow. The feed-veffél is hort, andof arough, pointed, N° 26: Linuzus authorifes in other places the redu cing to the fame genus plants that have thefe little differences in their minute parts. We have given an inftance of it in the /imapiftrum, even though it fhakes his whole fyitem: here there would have beenlefs objection to the fame conduct. |