120 DODECANDRIA. 



ORDER 6, 



DODECA- COMMON HOUSE-LEEK. Tliis is the only 



GYNiA. Qgj^yg belonging to this Order, of which there are 

 fo twenrpb^ fourteen species. This is the only species which is a 

 till*' native of Great Britain. It has a perennial fibrous 



root, and blossoms in July. Haller, '" who has mi- 

 nutely described tliis plant, found it in its wild state 

 on the Alps. It is common in most parts of Europe, 

 on the roofs of buildings, but there not properly 

 indigenous. It is a native of some parts of Europe 

 on rocks; it was formerly used internally as a medi- 

 cine, and applied externally in burns and inflam- 

 mations. 



The House-leek, in common with other herba- 



«" Albert Haller was the son of a citizen, and Advocate of 

 Berne, in Switzedand, where he was born in October 2 708. 

 Tlie accounts of his early display of talents are as extraordinary 

 as almost any upon record. In his fifth year he was accus- 

 tomed to write down all the new words he heard in the course 

 of the day. At the age of ten he could translate from the 

 Greek, and compiled for his own use a Chaldaic Grammar, 

 and a Greek and Hebrew Dictionary. As he advanced in years 

 he rapidly advanced in acquirements and maturity of judgment 5 

 was one of the most illustrious literary characters of his age, 

 and as an anatotnist, physiologist, and botanist, he was of the 

 first cla'-s. He died December J2, 1777, in the seventieth year 

 •f his age. 



