SENECIO VULGARIS. 239 



six of which are mentioned by Babington, in his " Flora Bathoni- 

 ensis," and may be fomid in this neighbourhood. 



All the British species have yellow flowers, and are distin- 

 guished by the popular names of Groundsel and Ragwort. The 

 word (jroundsel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon, ^^Grund^' 

 ground, and ^^ swelgan^'^ to swell, because the ground swells with it 

 — i.e.^ the plant grows everywhere. The name Ragwort is derived 

 also from the Anglo-Saxon " hraeod" ragged, and " ivyrt^' a plant, 

 on account of the ragged appearance of its leaves. 



Humboldt found Groundsels just below the perpetual snows of 

 the Andes. In an old botanical work I find mention made of four- 

 teen species which are not considered common weeds ; they are 

 natives of North America, Madras, Africa, Cape of Good Hope, 

 the Alps and Pyrenees, Paris, and the Levant. Senccio Pseudo- 

 China, a plant far too tender for British cultivation, except as 

 a stove-plant, grows on the open ground in Madras, and there are 

 three species indigenous to the Cape of Good Hope, requiring much 

 care during the winter in England if planted out of doors. Another 

 species from the Cape, S. elegans, possesses a floral disc of beautiful 

 purple rays, but with the exception of this species and of another 

 with white flowers, all the species of this genus, however tender, 

 have yellow flowers as in this country. 



The name Senecio, from the Latin ^^ Se7iex,'^ is said to have been 

 given to this genus, either on account of the silvery hairs which 

 deck the seeds, or because, when the seeds have been scattered by 

 the wind, the bald receptacle is so prominent through the subsid- 

 ence of the divisions of the calyx. 



The alleged medicinal virtues of this plant are very numerous. 

 Withering informs us that a strong infusion of Groundsel will occa- 

 sion vomiting. He also tells us that the bruised leaves of the 

 plant form a healing application to boils, and that one species of 

 Senecio is recommended as a remedy for the terrible disease of 

 Cancer. Surprising cures are stated to follow an application of 

 bruised leaves in most severe cases of sciatica, etc. S. Saraceni- 

 cus is said to have derived its specific name from the fact that the 

 Saracens used the plant for the purpose of curing their wounds. 



In regard to its dietetic properties, none of the species are 

 esculent. Withering tells us the brute creation have very mingled 



