DICOTYLEDONS 49 



Baneberry {ActcBa spicata). — This is a rare 

 British plant, only known wild in northern England. 

 It has large compound leaves ; the leaflets three- 

 lobed and toothed. The flowering stem grows from 

 one to two feet high. The flowers very small, nearly 

 white. It has a calyx of four small petal-like 

 sepals, four very small petals, numerous stamens, 

 and one carpel which becomes a berry, nearly black 

 in colour. 



It is the berry which might attract children, but 

 it is very poisonous ; as well, indeed, as are all other 

 parts of the plant. Drying only partly destroys 

 the poisonous principle. However, it exhales so 

 disagreeable an odour, that poisoning by it has 

 been extremely rare. 



LOVE-IN-A-MIST, or Devil-IN-A-BUSH {Nigella 

 dainascena\ is an old-fashioned garden flower. It 

 has finely-divided leaves. The flower is solitary, 

 terminal, usually blue, surrounded by a finely-divided 

 leafy involucre forming the " mist " or " bush." The 

 sepals are five, coloured, and resemble petals. The 

 petals are small, and cleft, stamens many, and 

 carpels varying in number from three to ten. Un- 

 like all other members of this family, the carpels 

 are coherent into a large capsule. The seeds are 

 black, and have given the name from the Latin word 



— emetics, linseed-tea, or gum-water, or gruel copiously 

 administered. The warm bath will afford great relief. Oil 

 must be avoided. 



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