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A R A 



This genus of plants is ningcd in Linn^vis*s fifteenth 



clafs, entitled Tetradynamia Siliquofa : fo called, bc- 

 caufe the flowers have four ilamina longer than the 

 other two, and the feeds growing in long pods. 

 . The Si'Ecirs are, 



Araeis {Tbaliana) foliis petiolatis lanceolatis inte- 

 frerrimis. Vir. Cliff. 64. Bnfiard '■To-iver Mujlard^ with 



A R A 





n 



whole fpcar-Pjnped leaves having foot-fialks, Burfa:i pai- 

 toris fimilis filiquofa major. C, B. P. 108.. 

 2. Arabis i^Alpina) foliis amplexicaulibus dcntatis. Hort. 

 Cliff. 335. Bajlard'TcKver Muftard^ with indented leaves 

 emiracing the fialks. ' Draba alba filiquofa repens. 



C. B. P. ^ 



AvRAEis {Pendula) foliis amplexicaulibus filiquis an- 

 cipitibus lincaribus calycibus fubpilofis. Hort. Upfal. 

 101. Bafiard Tower Mujiard with leaves embracing the 

 Jtalks^ narroiv pods hanging two zvays^ and hairy fiowcr- 

 ciips. Turritis latifolia hirfuta filiquis pendulis. Am- 

 man. Ruth. 5^. 



4. Arabis (Turrita) foliis amplexicaulibus filiquis de- 

 curvis planis linearibus calycibus fubrugofis. Hort. 



.Upfal. 192. BaJtardTower Mujlardywith narroiv^plain^ 

 hanging pods^ a7id rough fiowcr-cups. Leucoium hefpe- 

 ridis iolio. Tourn. Inft. 221. Stock Gilhjlcwcr %vitb a 

 leaf of Dame's Violet, 



5. Arabis (Lyrata) foliis glabris, radicalibus lyratis, 

 caulinis linearibus. Flor. Virg. 99. Bafiard Tower 

 Mufardwith fmccth leaves^ thofe at the root lyre-fjaped^ 



hut on the ftalks linear. 



6. A-RABis iCanaderJis) foliis caulinjs lanceolatis dentatis 

 glabris. Flor. Virg. ico. Bafiard Tower Muflard^ with 

 fpear-fjapcdy indented^ fmooth leaves. Eruca Virginiana, 

 bellidis majoris folio. Pluk. Aim. 136. 

 II1C firJl: fort is a low plant, feldom rifmg more than 

 four or five inches high, fending out many fliort 

 branches on every fide, terminated by fmall white 

 flowers gVowing alternately the moft part of their 

 length, each having four petals in form of a crofs, 

 which are fucceeded by long (lender pods filled with 

 fmall round feeds. ■ It grov/s naturally on fandy dry 

 ground, in many parts of England. 

 The fecond fort grows naturally in Iftria, from whence 

 I received the feeds ; it is alfo a native of the Alps, 

 and many other mountainous countries'. This is a 

 perennial plant, which increafes by its creeping roots, 

 which run obliquely near the furface of the ground, 

 and fend down roots at every joint. The leaves are 

 collecled into heads, fpreading circularly like thofe 

 of the London Pride. Thele arc oblong, whitilli, 

 and indented on their edges ; out of thefe heads arife 

 the flower-fcalks, which grow near a foot high, gar- 

 niOied with leaves placed alternately, which are 

 broader at their bafe than thofe v/hich grow below, 

 and cloftly embrace the ftalks : the flowers grow in 

 loofe bunches on the top ; thefe are white, and have 

 leaves in form of a crofs, which are fucceeded by long- 

 fiat pods, opening lengthways, having two cells, 

 v/hich arefeparated by an intermediate partition, each 

 having one row of fiat reddiih feeds. 

 I'his is a very hardy plant, fo will thrive in any fi- 

 tuation. It produces leeds in plenty, but as it muki- 

 plies fo fad by its creeping roots, few perfons are 

 at the trouble to fov/ the feeds. Ic flowers early in the 

 fnrinp-, and having; many ftalks rinn,q; from one root, 

 they make a pretty variety in cold fituations, v/here 

 many finer plants will not thrive, fo may have place 

 in rin-al plantations among flirubs, where they v/ill 

 thrive with very little care. 



The third fort grows naturally In Siberia, from whence 

 the feeds were brought to Peterfljurgh. This is a 



oiant, which oTows near a foot hip;h; the 



perennial 



leaves arc broad, hairy, and indented on their edges \ 

 thefe clolely embrace the ft'alks. The flowers grov/ 

 alternately in loofe fpikcs, and are of a dirty white 

 ccAour. Thefe are fucceeded by long narrow pods, 



which are filled v/ith flat brown feeds like tlie forn^er, 

 but tiiepods of this hang downwards two ways. It 

 flowers early In fpring, and pertefts feeds very well, 

 bv vy'hich it may be propagated in plenty. 

 The fourdi fore grows naturally in Iknigary, Sicily, 



and France, 

 fome old wall 



I have alfo found it growing v/ild upon 

 s at Cambridge and Ely, but the feeds 

 m.ight probably come out of the gardens where they 

 were firft planted. The plants of this kind, which 

 row on walls or ruins, continue much lona;er tJiaa 



thofe which are fow^n in gardens, v-'here they feldom 

 live longer than tv/o years. The leaves of this fort 

 are long, broad, hairy, and a little v/avcd on their 

 edges-, of a pale colour, and fpread near the ground: 

 from the center of thefe come out the ftalks, which 

 rife about a foot and a lialf hif?h, havino- feveral leaves 

 growing alternately, which clofely embrace them. 

 Toward the top of the ftalks, they divide into feveral 

 fmall branches, which are terminated by long loof:; 

 fpikes of flowers, of a dirty whdte colour, each having 

 four petals placed in form of a crofs. After the flowers 

 are paft, the germen becomes long flat pods, which 

 turn backward at their extremity and open length- 

 ways, having tv/o rov/s of flat-bordered feeds, of a 

 dark brown colour, feparated by a thin ii\tcrmediate 

 partition. 



This fort is eafily propagated by feeds, which fliouid 

 be fown in the autumn *, for thofe which are fown 

 in the fpring frequently mifcarry, or lie in the ground 

 a whole year before they grow. When the plants are 

 ftrong enough to remove, they mdy be tranfplanted 

 into a fliady border, or in rural plantations, where 

 no other care will be neceflary, but to prevent their 

 being overgrov/n by weeds. The plants flower in 

 May, and their feeds ripen in July. There is little 

 beauty in this plant, yet many perfons preferve it in 

 their gardens to make a variety. , . 



The fifth fort is annual, it grows naturally in North 

 ■ America; the leaves near the root are lyre-fnaped, 

 but thofe on the flower-ftalks are linear, placed al- 

 ternately, both are fmooth-, the flower-ftalks rife near 

 a- foot high, and are terminated by white flowers, 

 which are fucceeded by flender pods. 

 The fixth fort was brought from Virginia-, this is a 

 biennial plant, whofe lower leaves fpread on the 

 ground, thefe are deeply indented on their fides ; the 



o 



flower-ftalks rife a foot high, fuftaining feveral yellow 

 flowers placed fcatteringly at the top, which are fuc- 

 ceeded by prettv long flat pods, filled with feeds. 

 The two !aft mentioned forts have little beauty to 

 recommend them, nor are their virtues known, there- 

 fore they are rarely admitted into any gardens except 

 for variety. They are eafily' propagated by feeds, 

 which if permitted to fcatter on the ground, will pro- 

 duce plants in plenty on any foil, or in any fituation. 

 ARACHIS, Earth, or Ground Nut. 

 The Characters are. 



The empalement of the flower opens in two parts^ the 

 upper being cut into three at the extremity^ the under oie 

 is hollow ending in a pointy and longer than the other. The 

 flower is of the butterfy kind^ having four petals -, ibe 

 flandard is largc^ roundijh^ and plain ; the zvings arc open 

 and fhcrter than the flandard^ the keel is little longer than 

 the empalement^ and turns back. The fewer hath ten 

 fiarnina,, nine of which coalefce^ ojid the upper one fiends 

 off; thefe are no longer than the kcel^ crowned by rouni 

 furnmits. In the center is filuated an oblong germen,, ftp- 

 porting an awl-f japed ftyle^ crowned by a fingle ftigina. 

 The germen afterward turns to an oblong pod-^ contaifiing 

 two or three cblcng blunt feeds. 



This genus of plants is ranged in LinniEUs's feven- 

 teenth clafs, entitled Diadeip'iia Decandria, from the 

 flowers having ten ftamina, which are in two bodies. 

 We have but one Species of this plant, viz. 

 Arachis {Hypog^a.) Lin. Horc. Cli!f. 35^. Earth «" 

 Ground Nut, Arachidna quadrifolia villofa flore lutco. 

 Plum. Nov. Gen. 49. ...v 



The native country of this plant I believe Is Africa, 

 though at preleht, all the ie:tlcments in America 

 abound ^/ith" it] but many perfjns v/ho have refided 

 in^that country affirm, they v/ere orio;Inally brought 

 ■,:by tlie flaves from Africa there, v/here they have been 

 fpread all over the fcttlements. 

 It mul'Li|:»lie3 very f-ft in a warm country, but being 



impadcnt uf cold, it cannot be propagated in the opt-:n 



air 



