240 CYNOGLOSSUM. f class v. order i. 



1. C. officina'Ie, Linn. (Fig. 319.) comvinn Hound's tongue. Leaves 

 lanceolate, downy ; the upper ones suliccidaled at the base, sessile; 

 the lower on footstalks; stamens shorter than the corolla. 



English Botany, t. 921.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 261 —Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 105. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 166. 



Moot tapering. The whole plant very soft and downy, of a dull 

 green, exhaling when rubl)cd a nauseous foetid odour. Tlie stemh'om 

 one to two feet iiigh or more, erect, round, striated, branched, and 

 leafy; lower leaves oblong, lanceolate, tapering into a broad stout long 

 footstalk, the upper narrower, the n)argin waved, dilated towards the 

 base, where it is more or less cordate, embracing the stem ; mid-rib 

 strong, with several branched lateral ones. Inflorescence terminal , 

 branched, spreading racemes. Floivers numerous, on short pedicles, 

 which elongate after flowering. Calyx of five deep ovate acute seg- 

 ments, very downy, becoming much larger after flowering, reflexed as 

 the fruit advances to maturity, and sometimes falls ofl", but mostly per- 

 sistent. Corolla lunncl-shaped, with a short wide cylindrical <w6e ; 

 its orifice closed by five obtuse convex valves ; the Ihnh oi live rounded 

 obtuse segments, of a dull red or purplish colour. Stamens on short 

 filaments, alternating with the valves at the orifice of the tube. Style 

 about the length of the tube, becoming much larger as the fruit ad- 

 vances, and forms an angular column, round which they are attached. 

 Fruit four obovate flattish ««<,■!, attached in the centre to the enlarged 

 base of the style, very rough, with rigid (hollow when dry) conical 

 points, having at the extremity a great number of minute spreading 

 cartilaginous teeth, by which the nuts attach themselves to clothes, 

 animals, -^c. 



Habitat. — Waste and rubbishy places; frequent in England and 

 IrelaiK., !.>■> ^u in Scotland. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



This plant is mucilaginous and narcotic, and was esteemed as an 

 anti-spasmodic, having an extremely unpleasant odour, like that of 

 mice. It is not now used in England, but is still retained amongst 

 the list of preparaticms used by the Italian physicians; but wilji what 

 advantage over the other mcne elegant remedies that we possess, having 

 similar properties, we have yet to learn. 



2. C. sylvat'icjmi, Hwnke. (Fig. 320.) yreen leaved Hound's tongue. 

 Leaves lanceolate, shining, slightly hairy and roughish, especially 

 beneath, the upper ones suheordate at the base, semi aniplexicaul, 

 sessile, the lower on footstalks ; stamens shorter than the corolla. 



English Botany, t. ) 642.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 261.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 105. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 166. 



Root tapering. The whole plant of a pale shining green, sparingly 

 scattered over with hairs, having, unlike the last, little odour when 



