PENTANDRIA— MONOGYNIA. Symphytum. 263 



long as the Hmb, wliich has 5 shallow, spreading, acute, 

 marginal segments; mouth closed with 5 lanceolate, 

 fringed, converging valves, shorter than the limb. Filam, 

 short, in the throat, alternate with the valves. A7it/u 

 arrow-shaped, acute, concealed by the valves. Germ. 4, 

 abrupt. Stijle slightly club-shaped, as long as the corolla. 

 Stigma simple. Seeds 4, ovate, tumid, converging, at- 

 tached to the base of the enlarged calyx. 

 Herbaceous, perennial, hairy or bristly. Leaves ovate, 

 pointed, veiny. Clusters large, revolute, forked. FL of 

 various colours, spreading or drooping. Roots fleshy, 

 abounding in mucilage. 



1. S. officinale. Common Comfrey, 

 Leaves ovate-lanceolate, decurrent, finely hairy. 



S. officinale. Linn. Sp. PL 1 95. Willd. v. 1 . 770. FL Br. 2)8. EngL 

 Bot. r. 1 2. ^ 8 1 7. Curt. LomL fuse. 4. L 1 8. Woodv. suppL t.2\o. 

 Hook. Scot. 69. Fl. Dan. i. 6G4. Schrad. Asperif. 25./. 8. 



S. n. COO. IIalLnist.v.\.2GQ. 



S. magnum. BauJi. Hist. v. 3. 51)3./. Rati Syn. 231). 



S. majus. Mattli. J'algr. v. 2. 310./. Camer. Epit. 700./. 



Consolida major. Ger. Em. 806./ 



(3. Symphytum ])atens. Sibth. 70. 



In watery meadows, about the banks of rivers and ditches. 



Perennial. Muij, June. 



Root externally black, oblong, fleshy, yielding much pure insipid 

 mucilage, which renders it useful in coughs, and all internal 

 irritations. Stems 3 feet high, hairy, winged v/ith the decurrent 

 bases of the taper-pointed, wavy, rough-edged leaves. Clusters 

 hairy, stalked, in pairs, revolute. Cal. more or less spreading in 

 the buff-coloured, as well as purple, variety ; which last is 

 Dr. Sibthorp's .S. patens, and Haller describes its Jlower shorter 

 than the other ; but I have not been able to find a specific 

 difference. 



2. S. tuberosum. Tuberous-rooted Comfrey. 

 Leaves ovate, slightly decurrent, rather harsh ; ujiper ones 



opposite. 



S. tuberosum. Linn. Sp. PL 105. PfVhL v. 1. 771. FL Br. 219. 

 EngL Bot. v.2\. t. 1502. Light/. 1091 . Hook. Scot 69. Don 

 //. J5r. 133. Jacq. Obs. /asc'^ 3. \2. t. 63. Austr. t.22j. Ger. 

 Em. 806./. Bauh. Hist. v. 3. 594./ 



S. radice tulDerosa. Camer. Epit.70\./ 



In moist shady places in tlic north. 



Oppobitc to the new well at the water of Leith, but more jilcntifuUy 



