SANICLE 51 
Circea, Dioscorides, is trom Czvce, the enchantress, who from her 
knowledge of herbs would procure love, and Luéefzana from Paris, 
Lutetia being the old name for it. 
The plant is called Mandrake, Bindweed, Enchanter’s Nightshade. 
Of the name Enchanter’s Nightshade, Gerarde says: ‘The error 
of some who have taken Mandragoras for Circzea, in which error they 
have still persisted unto this daie, attributing unto Circeea the virtues of 
Mandragora . 
EsseNnTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS :— 
120. Circwa Lutetiana, L.—Stem erect, branched, downy, leaves 
ovate, acute, dentate, flowers white, in a raceme, calyx 2-cleft, hairy, 
stamens pink, fruit with hooked bristles. 
” 
Sanicle (Sanicula europea, L.) 
Wood Sanicle is widely dispersed, its recent distribution being 
Europe and N. Africa. It is found in all the counties of Great 
Britain except Peebles, the Orkney and Shetland Islands. In the 
North of England it has been found to ascend to altitudes of con- 
siderably over 1000 ft. 
Sanicle is a clay-loving plant, fond of the shade of woods, and 
erowing under trees in the moist depths of a wood, or the more open 
shelter of copses on the side of a hill. In such places it is accom- 
panied by Wood Anemone, Goldielocks, Wood-sorrel, Primrose, Wood 
Forget-me-not, Bluebell, and many other umbrageous species. 
There is scarcely anything, but its umbels of flowers and seed, to 
suggest the umbelliferous affinity of this plant. It is an erect, not very 
tall, plant, with leaves divided into lobes to the middle, 3- or 5-lobed, 
with numerous fine-pointed teeth. Most of the leaves arise from 
the base of the stem, in the manner of celery, but are more widely 
spreading. The leaves are dark green and glossy, with a dark-brown 
or reddish tinge. 
The flowers are pink or white, and are arranged not strictly in an 
umbel but a panicle, the female florets being unstalked, the outer male 
stalked. The umbels are irregular with few rays. The fruit is sur- 
rounded by turned-back hooked bristles, the styles being persistent. 
The plant is about 1 foot in height. Flowers can be found in 
June and July. Sanicle is a perennial plant capable of division by 
the roots. 
The plant is andromoncecious, i.e. the flower is hermaphrodite, and 
there are also male flowers. There are 1-3 proterandrous herma- 
