174 FLORA HISTORICA. 



The common Vervain, ojjicijialis, is a native of 

 our soil, and is principally found by road sides, 

 in dry sunny pastures and waste places about 

 villages. Mr. Miller remarks, that although Ver- 

 vain is very common, yet it is never found above 

 a quarter of a mile from a house, which has occa- 

 sioned its being called Simpler's Joy. However 

 it appears not to be entirely confined to such si- 

 tuations, since Dr. Withering observes, that it is 

 very plentiful at the foot of St. Vincent's rocks, 

 all along the course of the river. This species 

 grows also in most parts of Europe, Barbary, 

 China, Cochin-China, and Japan. Its flowers 

 form spikes of a pale lilac colour, which continue 

 in blossom during the whole of summer. 



The Verbena Supina is also an European spe- 

 cies of this genera of plants, and is indigenous 

 to the south of Europe. We have fourteen other 

 species of Vervain, collected principally from 

 America and the Indies, buV as these have no 

 connexion with ancient anecdote we pass them 

 to observe that the Vervain, which held so high 

 a rank amongst herbs in antique days, has passed 

 almost into total neglect among the modern prac- 

 titioners of medicine, although all writers seem 

 to agree in attributing to it the properties of re- 

 lieving the most violent chronic head-aches, whe- 

 ther ,externally apphed or internally taken. For 



