241 



The leiives of Ocymum album are considered by the natives of India sto- 

 machic, and their juice is prescribed in the catarrhs of children. Ainslie, 

 2, 92. The fresh juice of Anisochilus (Lavandula curnosa L.) mixed 

 with powdered sugarcandy, is prescribed by the native practitioners of India 

 in cynanche. Ibid. 2. 144. Tonic and stimulant properties have been 

 ascribed to the Origanum Dictamnus. Ibid. 1. 112. It is asserted that 

 the juice of the bruised leaves of Pliiomis esculenta, drawn up the nose, is a 

 specific against the bite of serpents ; but there is reason to doubt the truth of 

 this statement, as the plant, which is a common weed in Bengal, possesses 

 but a slight aromatic scent, and has scarcely any flavour. Trans. M. and P. 

 Soc.Calc. 2. 405. Hedeoma pulegioides, the Pennyroyal of the North Ame- 

 ricans, has a great popular reputation as an emmcnagogue. Barton, 2. 168. 

 Cunila mariana is beneficially employed in infusion in slight fevers and colds, 

 with a view to excite perspiration. Ibid. 2. 175. The roots of Stachys 

 puhistris are described as an esculent by Mr. Joseph Houlton. The Panax 

 Coloni of old botanists is the same thing. Travis. Soc. Arts, 46. 8, Perhaps 

 the most singular quality of these plants is their containing an abundance of 

 camphor, a substance which seems to exist in the whole tribe, and which is 

 found so copiously in the oils of Sage and Lavender as to be capable of being 

 advantageously extracted. 



Examples. Lamium, Mentha, Stachys, Thymus. 



CCXXII. BORAGINE^. The Borage Tribe. 



BoRAGiNEJE, J^lss. Gen. 143. (1789) ; B. Broion Prodr. 492. (1810); Lindl. Si/nops. 1G3. 



1829.) 



Diagnosis. Monopetalous dicotyledons, with regular flowers, a deeply 

 lobed superior ovarium, and round stems. 



Anomalies. Echium has rather irregular flowers; Benthamia has 4 

 cotyledons. 



Essential Character — Calyx persistent, with 4 or 5 divisions. Corolla liypo- 

 gynous, monopetalous, generally regular, 5-clel't, sometimes 4-cleft, with an imbricate 

 ffistivation. StameJis inserted upon tiie petals, equal to the number of lobes of the corolla, 

 and alternate with them. Ovarium 4-parted, 4-seeded ; ovula attached to the lowest point 

 of the cavity (pendulous, Ji. Br.); style simple, arising from the base of the lobes of the 

 ovarium ; ftu/ma simple or bifid. Nuts 4, distinct. Seed separable from tb.e pericarpiimi, 

 destitute of albumen. Embryo with a superior radicle ; cotyledons parallel with the axis, 

 plano-convex, sometimes 4 ! — Herbaceous plants or shrubs. Stems round. Leaves alter- 

 nate, covered with asperities, consisting of hairs proceeding from an indurated enlarged 

 base. Floioers in 1 -sided spikes or racemes, or panicles, sometimes solitary and axillary. 



Affinities. Nearly allied to Labiatse, from which they are essentially 

 distinguished by the regularity of the corolla, the presence of 5 fertile sta- 

 mens, the absence of resinous dots, the round (not square) figure of the stem, 

 and the scabrous alternate leaves. On account of this last character, they 

 are often called Asperifolia?. From all other monopetalous orders they are 

 known by the 4 deep lobes of the ovarium, called by Linnean botanists naked 

 seeds. Hydrophylleee, Heliotropicese, Cordiaceoe, and Ehretiacese, are all 

 distinguished by their undivided ovarium, but, together with Boraginege, are 

 known by the quaternary structure of their ovarium and the quinary divi- 

 sion of the corolla and stamens. 



Geography. Natives principally of the temperate countries of the 

 northern hemisphere ; extremely abundant in all the southern parts of 

 Europe, the Levant, and middle Asia ; less frequent as we approach the 



