42 



GYNANDRIA. 



PENTAN- 

 DRA. 



FivL Stamina. 



ORDER 5. 

 No British Plant of this Order. 



SWEET-SCENTED PERGULARIA. The na- 

 tive place of this plant is uncertain, but it is cultivated in 

 China, from whence Lady Hume received it. It blos- 

 somed in her hot-house in August 1791 . The flowers, 

 which are of the size of a primrose, of a yellowish 

 green, have a sweet lemon-like scent, especially in 

 the evening;. 



HEX AN- 

 DRIA. 



ORDER 6, 



COMMON BIRTH- WORT. Of this Genus 

 there are twent}^-seven species ; but this one species 

 Six Stamina only, is a native of Great Britain, and is the only Bri- 

 tish plant of this Order. It blossoms from June 

 to September. It is a native of most of the coun- 

 tries of Europe, and is generally thought to be a 

 native of England, though Millar is not of that opi- 

 nion. It dyes \vool of a good yellow colour : the roots 

 have an aromatic scent, and a warm bitterish taste, 

 and are used in medicine and surgery. 



The powdered root of one species of this plant, 

 Aristolochia angidciday is said to be peculiarly effica- 

 cious in curing the bite of venomous snakes in Ame- 

 rica. Professor Jacquin says, that if the juice of this 

 root be put into the mouth of a serpent it may be han- 



