164 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



not a foot high, with a few axillary, yellowish flowers, and lance- 

 olate leaves ; stem often branched at the upper part ; June. 



Pedicularis. L. 13. 2. Lousewort. 



The common name is a translation of the botanical, and arises 

 from the supposition that sheep become lousy by feeding on it, 

 while the poor pastures in which it grows is the probable reason 

 of their being covered with vermin. Loudon. About 40 spe- 

 cies are described, of which about a dozen belong to North 

 America, and 2 to New England. The plants are somewhat 

 showy, with regular, but much-cut leaves. A dozen species 

 have been reared in the English gardens. 



P. Canadensis. L. Common Lousewort. Grows in open 

 woods, and on sunny hills ; is extirpated easily by cultivation ; a 

 short, somewhat prostrate plant, growing in clusters, with yellow 

 or orange-colored flowers in short, dense spikes ; leaves lanceolate, 

 pinnatifid, toothed or notched ; May. , 



P. pallida. Ph. Tall Lousewort. Stem 1 or 2 feet high, 

 branched, with pubescent lines ; leaves pinnatifid, toothed, and 

 crenate ; flowers large, pale-yellow ; capsule short and broad- 

 ovate ; low grounds ; September. 



ORDER 213. SOLANEiE. The Nightshade Tribe. 



Calyx inferior, persistent, 5-parted, rarely of 4 divisions ; 

 corolla 1-petalled, cleft like the calyx, regular, rarely irregular or 

 unequal ; stamens equal in number to the segments of the corolla, 

 and inserted on it ; ovary superior, 2 or 4-celled ; leaves alternate, 

 undivided or lobed. 



This order contains many important plants ; some healthful, 

 some very poisonous, some beautiful ; found chiefly within the 

 tropics. There are few species indigenous to New England ; 

 many, however, are cultivated, or have been naturalized. General 

 properties are cathartic, discutient, emetic, and antiscorbutic ; 



great diversity of properties. 



