ogee 
a 
ERYNGIUM MARITIMUM: ORD. VI. Unbeltate. : 121 
Ess. Gen. Ch. Flores capitati. Receptaculum paleaceum, 
Sp. Ch. E. foliis radicalibus subrotundis plicatis spinosis, capitulis 
pedunculatis, paleis tricuspidatis. 
THE root is perennial, long, round, tough, externally of a 
brown colour, internally whitish: the stalk is thick, fleshy, round, 
striated, white, branched, and rises from one to two feet in height: 
the leaves, which grow from the root, are roundish, plaited, trifid, 
firm, spinous like those of the holly, marked with white reticulated 
veins, and of a very pale bluish green colour; those proceeding from 
the stalk are sessile, and surround the branches: the flowers are small, 
of a blue colour, and terminate the branches in round heads: the 
common receptacle is conical, and supplied with paleew, which sepa- 
rate the florets: the involucrum of the receptacle is composed of 
many pointed leaves, which are longer than the florets: the calyx 
consists of five erect sharp leaves, placed above the germen: the 
corolla is composed of five oblong petals, with their points turned 
inwards: the filaments are five, slender, upright, longer than the 
corolla, and supplied with oblong anthere: the two styles are 
filiform, and furnished with simple stigmata: the germen is beset 
with short hairs, and stands beneath the corolla: the fruit is two 
oblong seeds, connécted together. It grows abundantly on the sea 
eoasts, and flowers from July till October. 
In the Materia Medica of Linnzus, and in abesvat alk the foreign 
pharmacopeeias, the Eryngium campestre is considered to be the 
efficinal plant: Geoffroy, however, has observed that the E. mariti- 
yum is by many thought to be a more powerful medicine, and 
Simon Paulli* gives it the preference; but Boerhaave * attributes the 
same virtues to both, and indeed it seems of little importance which 
is preferred. Eryngo is supposed to be the sgvyya of Dioscorides,* 
* Quadrip. p. 324. * Hist. pl. T. z. p. 194, 
© Lib. 3. c. 24. He recommends it ad menses obstructos, tormina, inflationss 
hepaticos, venena, venenatos morsus, episthotonicos, & comitiales. 
No. 11. Qu 
