238 MTOSOTls. fetAss v. ormr i. 



not closed over the fruit. Corolla very small, concave, shorter than 

 the tube, of five rounded lobes. Fruit four black smooth oval miti. 



Habitat. — Dry sandy places, wall tops, Vc. ; not very common. 



Annual; flo-.\criDg in Aj^,/.l and May. 



The size of the plant is very variable according to its habitat, 

 particularly as to the greater or less supply of moisture it can obtain. 

 It is, however, regular in the characters above given, and can only be 

 mistaken for the following species, with which it has been identified by 

 some Botanists, when it has grown very luxuriant. 



8. M. versicolor. Lchm. {Y\^. ^M.) yello^v and hliic Scorpion-qrass. 

 Calyx with spreading hooked bristles, deeply five-cleft, closed when in 

 fruit, and longer than the nearly erect pedicles ; limb of the corolla 

 concave, about half as long as the elongated tube. 



English Botany, t. 2558, (not the fig.)— English Flora, vol. i. p. 

 254.— Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 104.— Lindley, Synopsis, p. 166, 

 M. scorpioides. — English Botany, t. 480, fig. 1. — M. scorpioiJex, y. 

 Linn. Sp. PI. p. 189. 



Hoot fibrous, annual. Stem very variable, in height from two to 

 twenty inches, erect, or curved at the base, simple or branched, round, 

 or slightly angular, rough, with spreading hairs, as is the whole plant. 

 Leaves variable in number, sometimes very numerous, at others very 

 scanty ; the radical ones on broadish footstalks, ovate, obtuse, the 

 upper sessile, long, narrow, obtuse, or acute, mostly thickly clothed with 

 spreading hairs. Racemes very long, and lax after flowering; hairs 

 much less numerous than on the stem, and close pressed. Flowers 

 numerous, on .short nearly erect pedicles, one or two of the lower ones, 

 sometimes arising from the axis of a small leaf. Calyx large, longer 

 than its pedicles, deeply divided into five narrow segments, closed when 

 in fruit, clothed, except at the extremities where they are straight, with 

 short rigid hooked bristles. Corolla with a tube, longer than the calyx, 

 and twice as long as the limb, which is small, concave, when first 

 expanded yellow, becoming blue, and often purple. Fruit four ovate 

 black nuts. 



Habitat. — Not uncommon in wet, as well as in dry places. 



Annual; flowering from April to July. 



The flowers commencing in their lower part amongst the leaves, we 

 do not find uncommon in luxuriant specimens ; in corn fields and other 

 places, in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. 



The whole of this genus of plants possess demulcent properties, and 

 have been occasionally used as such in the" form of tea, in cases of 

 fever; they are not now thought of any value, but supersede.'] by 

 others. It was thought also that the leaves bruised and made into a 

 poultice, were useful in removing inflammation of the eyes, as well as 

 the decoction to bathe them; but this is also gone out of use, more 

 potent remedies being substituted. 



