STAPHYSAGRIA. 185 



pents ; for I would not counsel the use of the seed, so exceeding 

 hot it is, and of so fierce a nature." In the present time it is 

 chiefly employed in allopathic medicine to destroy pediculi; 

 hence its German term Laiisesaamen. 



Dr. Christison says, u attempts have lately been made to intro- 

 duce it into medical practice, but nothing certain is known of 

 its medicinal action." 



Description. — Stavesacre is a biennial plant, and flowers 

 from April till August. Stem one to two feet high, round, 

 downy, erect, simple, and of a purplish hue. The lower leaves are 

 nearly as large as those of the vine, palmated, and divided into 

 seven lobes, which are oblong, ovate, veined, downy, some- 

 times acutely indented, and of a pale green colour ; those on 

 the upper part of the stem are gradually smaller, usually five- 

 lobed, and supported on hairy footstalks of the colour of the 

 stem. Thejlowers are bluish-purple, on terminal racemes, with 

 pedicels twice as long as the flowers, and bracteoles inserted at 

 the base of the pedicel. The calyx is petaloid and deciduous. 

 The upper sepal extended behind into a long tubular spur. 

 The corolla is usually divided into four petals, placed in front, 

 within the row of sepals. The two superior are narrow, small, 

 and at the base drawn out into spurs like that of the sepal, in 

 which they are both enclosed; the outer two are roundish, and 

 plaited at the edges. The filaments are numerous, awl-shaped, 

 and crowned with oblong yellow anthers. The germens are 

 three, superior, close together, tapering, downy, and furnished 

 with short filiform styles, terminated by simple stigmas. The 

 three capsules are ovate, oblong, tapering, pointed, with one 

 valve opening internally, and containing many rough, brown, 

 triangular seeds. 



Geographical Distribution. — South of France; Italy; 

 Greece ; Asia Minor. Sibthorp found it growing in the Greek 

 islands. First cultivated in this country by Miller. 



Parts used in Medicine, and Mode of Preparation. 



The Seeds. Stavesacre seeds (semina staphysagriae seu staphidis 



