25S PENTANDRIA— MONOGYNIA. Anchusa. 



Buglossum sive Borrngo dulcis mellita Lancastriensis. Lob. 11- 

 lustr. 121. 



B. dulce ex insulis Lancastrian. Park. Theatr. 765. 



On the sea shore, among sand or loose stones. 



In many parts of the coasts of Scotland and the north of England. 



Perennial. July, August. 



Root fleshy, tapering. Whale herb remarkable for its beautiful 

 glaucous hue ; though the late Mr. J. Mackay met with speci- 

 mens of a grass green, on the coast of Inverness. Stems seve- 

 ral, entirely procumbent, a foot or more in length, alternately 

 branched, leafy, smooth. Leaves rather fleshy, ovate, with are- 

 curved point, a solitary midrib, and a few obsolete transverse 

 veins j the base contracted into a broad footstalk; both sides 

 more or less besprinkled with callous points, but, like every 

 other part of the plant, destitute of hairs or bristles. Flowers in 

 terminal leafy clusters, with some solitary axillary ones here and 

 there. Segments of the calyx deep and broad. Cor. twice as 

 long, fine purple ; the limb but little expanded, with 5 swell- 

 ings at its base, slightly overtopped by the stamens. Stigma 

 capitate, small. Seeds large, ovate, pointed, keeled, closely 

 converging, even, but not highly polished. 



By the synonyms it appears how differently botanists have, at all 

 times, thought concerning the genus of this plant, whose beauty 

 all have joined in celebrating. That it is a very bad Pulmonaria 

 I have long ago pointed out in Engl. Bot. The habit agrees with 

 Cerinthe, but not the Jlowers or seeds. Dr. Lehmann and Pro- 

 fessor Hooker have, well enough, removed it to Lithospermum. 

 When fresh, the leaves have a flavour resembling oysters, far 

 from agreeable. The herb turns blackish in drying, which Dil- 

 lenius says may be prevented by immersion for a night in fresh 

 water. 



89. ANCHUSA. Alkanet. 



Linn. Gen. 74. Juss. 131. Fl. Br. 2 1 4. Lam. t. 92. 

 Buglossum. Tourn. t. 53. Gcertn. t. C7. 



Nat. Ord. see. h. 87. 



Cal. inferior, of 1 leaf, oblong, cylindrical, in 5, more or 

 less deep, acute segments, permanent. Cor. of 1 petal, 

 funnel-shaped ; tube straight, cylindrical, tumid in the 

 lower part, as long as the calyx ; limb more or less 

 spreading, in 5 rather deep, obtuse, equal segments ; 

 mouth closed with 5 erect, obtuse, vaulted, hairy, con- 

 verging valves. Filam. in the throat, very short, alternate 

 with the valves. Anth. oblong, concealed by the valves. 

 Germ. 4, attached to the base of the calyx. Style cylin- 

 drical, shorter than the tube. Stigma cloven. Seeds 4, 



