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Show • The Hijlory of P L A N T S~ 1. Per.ficaria jloribus hexandris digynis. . ~pottell The Perjicaria, with jlowirs with fix ftamzna and two .ftyles. ~tftnatc. Th · fib s the fialks are numerous, thick, round, fucculent, jointed, and e root IS rou s . . h · h 1 two feet hi h : the leaves fiand fingly at the JOmts; they are t ree m~ es ong, an · h g · breadth and pointed at the end : the flowers fiand m clufiers, or me or more, m ' .r: 11 d dd'{} h 1 thor; ii ikes, on the extremities of the branches ; they are 1ma a11; re 1 1 : t e ea~es are ufJally fpotted in the middle, with a lar~e black fpot ~ fomet1mes they want th1s ; d · 11b.-~.. 1 nts I't is roundi{h in others m form of a crefcent; the flowers are alfo an 111 II llle P a ' , • • d 1 ' ' h b d fometimes white. Thefe and other as tnvial and acc1 ~nt~ , vanatlons fiave .een lled-fcribed as dHl:intt fpecies by many a.utho.r~. The plant, m Its common ate, 1s ca e by C. Bauhine and others, Perficana m1t1S a~d Maculofa. , It is common every-where with us about d1tches, and on dungh1le. 2. Perjicaria fl·Jribus hexandris Jemid~g!nis. The Perjicaria, with hexandrous, Jemzdtgynous flowers. ~batp :{{rfrnntt. The root is oblong, £lender, white, tough, .and fibrated: the fialks are numerous, round, £lende r, green, and a foot and half h~gh : the leaves fiand alternately ; they are three inch~s long, near an inch broad, pomted at the .e?ds, and of a pale green: the flowers !land in long £lender fpikes,. at ~he extremtues of the branches. The whole plant is of an acrid tafte, the other 1s m1!d. . . This is common with us about waters, and m vanous places J::Uts on ve.ry different forms, appearing larger or fmaller, e_reet or pro~umbent,, ~c. m thefe It has been defcribed under the names of many different fpec1es. In Its common fiate, C. Bauhine calls it, Perficaria urens, five Hydropipe~. . . . Of the 0 ther more certainly difiintl: fpec1es are, I. The Willow-leaved Perficar~a. '2 , The perennial, lhrubby Pedicaria. 3· The narrow-leaved, fhrubby Perfic~na. 4. The Perficaria, with leaves woolly underneath. 5· The procumbent, long-fp1ked Pcrficaria. B IS T 0 R T A. T HERE is no calyx; the corolla confifis of a fingle petal, narrow and imper.: forated at the bafe : the limb is ereCt, and divided into five oval, and alternately connivent fegments : the fiamina are. eight fubulated filaments, longer than the co~ rolla ; the antherce are roundiili, [mall, and incumbent : the germen is triquetrous; the fiyles are three, very lhort and filiform, and the fiigmata are fimple : the flower remains, and fupplies the place of a pericarpium, furrounding the feed, which is fingle, triquetrous, and acute. 1. Bijlorta foliis ovato-oblongis acuminatis. The Bi.flort, with ovato-oblong, acuminated leaves. lJOifiO~t. The root is thick, oblique, and varioufly contorted) blackifh on the furface, and reddifh within: the leaves are three inches long, and near two in breadth; they fiand on long pedicles, edged with narrow, foliaceous appendages, and are of a deep green on the upper fide, and whitifh underneath: the fialk is round, flender, jointed, and two feet high : the leaves ftand alternately on it, and at it's top is a fpike of flowers, f11ort, thick, and very beautiful: the flowers are fmall, and of a beautiful red. It is a native of England, but not common; fame meadows near Lambeth abo~nd with it. C. Bauhine calls it, Bifiorta radice minus intorta ; others, Biftorta maJor • It's root is a good afiringent, and is much ufed in the {hops. 2. Biflorta foliis lanceolatis The lanceolated-leaved Biflort. ~ntall 1J5tfto~t. The root is oblong, thick, oblique, and varioufly contorted, black on the furface, and white within: the radical leaves are broad and lhort; thofe on the ftalks are three or T!Je Hijlory of P L A N T S. or four inches Io~&' not half an .inch broad, and of a lanceolated figure : the ftalk is flender, round, JOinted, and fix mches high; the leaves ftand alternately on it . at the top fiands a thin fpike of whitifh flowers. , It ig ~ound i.n the N~r~h of England. C .. Bauhine calls it, Bifiorta Alpina media ; J. Bauhme, B1ftorta m1mma ; and others, B1fiorta fobolifera. HE L X IN E. T H ,E R ~ · is no calyx: the corolla is permanent; it confifis of a lingle petal, divided mto five obtufe, eretl:o-patent fegments : the neetarium confifts of eight oval, coloured, very lhort granules : ·the fiamina are eight fubulated filaments of the length of the corolla : the an thera~ are roundilh and incumbent : the germ:n is triquetro~ s ; the fi yles are three,. fimple, and of the length of the fiamina : the fiigmata are capttatcd ; the corolla remams and performs the office of a perianthium furrounding the feed, which is lingle, triquetrous, and acut~. ' This genus comprehends the T ragopyrum of authors, and fome of the Perficarire of the fame. · . 1. Helxine caztle ereE!o ittermi, jQliis cordato-fagittatis. The ereEI Helxine, with; eordato-fagittated leave~. The root is oblong, creeping, and fibrated : the ft~\k is fingle rQund · fmooth · folid, ramofe, and two. or three feet high : the leaves fiand on long' pedicle; near th; bottom of the ftalk; htgher up they have fcarce any; they are two inches and a half long, an inch an? half br~ad, and of~ deep .green, corda_«:id at the bafe, and poiqted at the extremity : the flowers fiand m a kmd of lax fptkes, on ,Pedicles, an inoh or two, in length; they are fmall, and of a purplj(h white. . , It is a native of Germany. . Dodonce~s calls it, Tragopyrum; Tournefort, Tragopyrum vulgare eretl:um ; and C. Bauhme, Eryfinum vulgare f0lio hederaceo; We cultivate it in fields for the feeds, which are good food for many animals. 2. Helxine caule volubili. 'Ihe voluble-jlalked Hq/xif1e, The root is £lender, yellowi!h~ a.nd tough; th~ ftalks are rmmd, weak, ram9fe, ancl two feet long, but they fupport tbemfelves, by twilling ~b9qt every thing they corn~ near: the leaves fiand fingly, at confiderable diftances; they are an inch a·nd half long, near an inch broad, anp of a yellowilh-green : thp ftowers are fmall qnd whi~Hh . they fiand in loofe fpikes, or oblong clufiers. ' , It is c?mmon in ?ur corn~fields.. Tournefort'calls it, Tragopyrum vulgare fcandens; J ·. Bauh 1 me , Helxme femme tnangulo ; , C. Bauhine, Convolvulus minor femine tnangu o. . 1 3· Helxine foliis ovatis, · caule reEto inermi. The oval-leaved~ erecrl;lebdne. iD~ttttt~l ~~fnt"~t. This is a~ extrea~l~ beautiful plant, and ~as fo much of the external appearance of th.e perfic:anre, that 1t 1s n?t w?~derful that' 1t ~~? been ~~rally ranked among them. Its root 1s fibrous and white; 1t s ft:alk round, J6mted, and fix or feven feet high : it's leaves are ten inches long, and five broad, pointed at their ends, and of a deep green; the flowers are large, and of a beautiful bright purple ; they ftand in large, long fpikes at the extremities of the branches. It is a native of the Eafi; but we have it frequently in our gardens. Tournefort calls it, Perficaria orientalis nicotiance folio, calycibus purpureis. The other fpccies of Helxine are, 1. The rough-fruited Helxine. 2. The Afiatic cereal Helxine. 3. The ramofe, lanceolate-leaved Helxine, called long-leaved, race~ mous Arfmart ; and, 4· T he fhrubby Helxine, called the fhrubby mountain Dock. PAUL- |