| 1 96) 4 
BLITuM VIRGATUM. STRAWBERRY BLité; 
ae oeakakebobabak abate 3 
Cla/s and Order. 
Monanpria Dicynta. 
Generic Charaéer. 
= Cah: 3-fidus. Petalao. Sem. 1. calyce baccato. 
Specific Chara&er and Synonyms, 
BLITUM virgatum capitellis fparfis lateralibus. Linz. Sy. 
: _ Vegetab. ed. 14. Murr. p. 53. Ait. Kew. v.1. 2. 
ATRIPLEX fylveftris mori fru€@tu. Baub. Pin. p. 519. 
., ATRIPLEX fylveftris baccifera. Clu/. Hiff. cxxxv. 
_ This plant, not unfrequently met with in gardens, is known 
‘ to moft cultivators by the name of Strawberry Spinach ; the 
leaves fomewhat refembling thofe of the latter, and the fruit ee 
that of the former: C. Bauuine likens its berries to thofe of — 
the Mulberry, to which they certainly bear a greater refemb- — 
lance: in moft of the fpecies of this genus’ the calyx exhjbits — 
a very fingular phenomenon, when the flowering is over, it - 
increafes in fize, becomes flefhy, and finally pulpy, containing 
the ripe feed, which however it does not wholly envelopes — 
thus from each clufter of flowers growing in the ale of the 
leaves are produced fo many berries, of a charming red ca- 
lour, to which the plant owes its beauty altogether, for the © 
flowers are fmall, herbaceous, and not diftin@ly vifible to the 
naked eye; they can boaft however of being of the firft clafs 
in the Linnean fyftem Monandria, to which few belong... — 
_ Strawberry Blite is a hardy annual, growing fpontaneoufly in — 
_ fome parts of France, Spain, and Tartary; is not a very O10 — 
inhabitant of our gardens, Mr. Arron mentioning it as being — 
firft cultivated by Mr. Miter in 1759. Its ‘berries are pro- — 
duced from June to September; in their tafte they have nothing — 
to recommend them, though not pleafant they are harmlefs. | 
Ciustus we believe to be the firft author who’ gives a 
figure and defcription of it. ee 
' It affeéts a dry foil, and open fituation; in fuch there is 10 
neceffity to give any particular dire@tions for its cultivatio 
as it comes up readily from feed: {pontaneoufly feattered, 
much fo as fometimes to prove a troublefome weed. 
