656 



BORAGINACE.E. 



[Perigynous Exogens. 



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

 sometimes called Asperifohse. From Nolanads they are distinguished by their inflo- 

 rescence bemg gyrate, their radicle superior, and their embryo exalbmniuous and 

 straight. From all other Orders of this Alliance they are known by the 4 deep lobes of 

 the ovary, called by Linnsean Botanists naked seeds. 



Among the more remarkable points of structm-e met with in this Order is the very 

 general presence of scales or tubercles, standmg on the corolla between the stamens. 

 At first sight such scales might be taken for mere folds of the corolla, but their peculiar 

 appearance in S^-mphytum and Borage leads to the suspicion that they are really.a series 

 of abortive stamens. 



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 arctic circle, and almost disappearing within the tropics. A few 

 species only are found in such latitudes. In North America they are less abimdant than 

 in Europe. Pm'sh reckons but 22 species in the whole of his Flora ; while the Uttle 

 island of Sicily alone contains 35, accordmg to Presl. 



Soft, mucilaginous, emolhent properties, are the usual characteristics of this Order; 

 some are also said to contain nitre, a proof of which is shown by their frequent decrepi- 

 tation when thro^^^l on the fire. Borago officinalis gives a coolness to beverage in which 

 its leaves are steeped. The whole plant has an odom- approaching to Cucumber and 

 Bm-net ; but its supposed exliilaratmg quahties, which caused Borage to be reckoned 

 one of the fom- cordial flowers, along with Alkanet, Roses, and Violets, may justly be 



doubted. Smith. It was once esteemed as a pectoral medicine, and a decoction of its 



leaves mixed with honey makes a good ptisan. Its young leaves make a pickle m some 

 esteem. Echium plantaguieuni, naturalised in Brazil, is used in that comitry for the 

 same pm-pose. The roots of Anchusa tinctoria, or Alkanet, of Lithospermum tmctorium, 

 Onosma echioides, Echium iiibinim, and Anchusa virginica, contain a reddish-bro^vn 

 substance used by dyers. This matter is thought to be a peculiar chemical principle, 

 approaching the resins. The species of Trichodesma are considered cUuretic, and are one 

 of the cm'es for snake bites in India. — Royle. Some say that Cjnoglossum officinale is 

 narcotic ; its leaves are bitterish and produce a fat strong-scented oil, Comfrey, S}Tn- 

 phytvun officinale, was formerly regarded as a vulnerary ; if gathered while tender its 

 leaves are a substitute for Spmage, and the young shoots, blanched by bemg forced to 

 gi'ow tlu'ough heaps of earth, are eaten Uke Asparagus ; it is not, however, valued by 

 persons of refined taste. Its roots abound in mucilage, and are sweetish with some 

 astringency. 



GENERA. 



I. Anchusid^. Cyphorima, Raf. I 



Margarospermum, Rchh 



? Arnebia, Forsk. 

 lAnisinckia, Lehm. 

 \ Benthamia, Lindl. 

 iOreocharis, Decaisne, 

 1 Gjinnoreime, Decaisne. 

 i Alacromeria, Don. 

 j Philonomia, DC. 

 j Craniospermum, Lehm. 

 'Colsmannia, Lehm. 

 Xonea, Medik. 



Lycopsis, Lehm. 



Meneghinia, Endl. 



Dioclea, Spreng. 



Strohila, Don. 



Cerinthe, Linn. 



Ceranthe, Reichenb. 

 Onosma, Linn. 

 Onosmodium, L. C. Rich. 



Osmodium, Raf. 



Purshia, Spreng. 

 Moltkia, Lehm. 

 Echium, Tournef. 

 Macrotomia, DC. 

 Echiochilon, Desf. 



Chilechium, Raf. 

 Pulmonaria, Tournff. 



Bessera, Schult. 

 Steenhammavia, Reichb. \ 



Cerinthoides, Boerh. ' 



Hippoglossum, Hartm. 



Mertensia, Roth. 



Casselia, Dumort. j 



?Platynema, Schrad. i 

 Lithospermum, Tourn. 



Rhytispermum, Link. 



^gonychion, Gray. 



Batschia, GmeL 



Stenosolenium, Turcz. 

 Lycopsis, Linn. 

 Carj-olopha,-F/sc7i.f< Trit. 



Pentaglottis, Tausch. 

 Anchusa, Linn. 



Buglossum, Tournef. 

 Baphorhiza, Link. 



Alhanna, Tausch. 



Oscampia, Mfinch. 

 ? Campylocaryum, DC. 

 Moritzia,"^ DC. 

 Antiphytum, DC. 

 Plagiohothrys, ii'*c/i. et M. 

 Eritrichium, Schrad. 

 ' Bothriospermum, Bung 

 Myosotis, Linn. 



Echioides, Monch. 

 Endogonia, Turcz. 

 ; Strophiostoma, Turcz. 

 Exarrheua, R. Br. 

 jLobostemon, Lehm. 

 j Echiopsis, Reichenb. 

 Stomatechium, Lehm. 

 Symphytum, Linn. 

 Trachystemon, Don. 



Psilostemon, DC. 

 Borago, Tournef. 



j II. CvNOGLOSSID.!E. 



Trichodesma, R. Br. 

 I Trichoderma, Link. 



Streblarithera, Steud. 



Pollichia. Medik. 

 Friedrichsthalia, Fenzl. 

 Omphalodes, Tournef. 



Picotia, Rom. et Sch. 



Omphalium, Roth. 

 Rindera, Pall. 

 Mattia, ScMilt. 

 Solenanthus, Ledeb. 

 Cynoglossum, Linn. 

 Pectocarj'a, DC. 



9 Cryptantha, Lehm. 



Ctenospermum, Lehm. 

 Suchtelenia, Karel. 

 Caccinia, Sat*. 



Anisanthera, Raf. 

 Asperugo, Tournef. 

 Echinospermum, Sivartz. 



Lappula, Mbnch. 



Rochelia, Rom. et Sch. 

 Krynitzkia, Fisch. 

 ? Rochelia, Reichenb. 



Messcrschmidtia , Ass. 



Position. 



Numbers. Gen. 53. Sp. 600 ? 



HydrophyUaceeE. 



-Lamiacese. — Boraginace.e. — Nolanaceae. 



Cordiacece, 



