BORAGINACE^. 89 



In waste places and cultivated ground, by roadsides, and on shingly 

 sea beaches, preferring chalky and sandy soils. Rather common, and 

 generally distributed. Scarce towards the north of Scotland, and 

 not extending to the extreme north of that country. Rather rare in 

 Ireland, and principally found in the east of the island. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Biennial or Annual. Summer, 



Autumn. 



Root thick, tapering, fuscous-bro'wn. Radical leaves in a rosette, 

 spreading, 3 inches to 1 foot long, variable in breadth. Stem 1 to 

 3 feet high, erect throughout, or decumbent at the base, simple or 

 branched. Stem leaves 1 to 6 inches long. Spikes at first about 

 1 inch long, spreading-recurved, afterwards elongating, until in fruit 

 they are 2 to 9 inches long and nearly straight and ascending, the 

 flowers extending to their base except in the lowest spikes. Calyx 

 slightly increasing in fruit until it is about ;^ inch long. Corolla 

 usually about ^ inch long, red in bud, afterwards brilliant blue, more 

 rarely white. Nucules angular, acuminated, olive-brown, very 

 rugose. Plant green, more or less hoary, from the abundance of white 

 hairs, the bristly hairs so stiiF as to be vulnerant ; the longer hairs are 

 seated on tubercles, never exceeding the size of a grain of sago, and 

 generally much smaller. 



A Avhite-flowered variety occurs, wliicli has the corolla usually short, 

 and has frequently been mistaken for E. Italicum. 



Common Viper's Bugloss. 



French, Vijieruuse vulgaire. German, Gemciner Naiterhopf. 



The ancient reputation of this plant as a remedy against the effects of serpents' 

 bites probably originated in an old notion that its seeds resembled a snake's head. 

 Culpepper tells us " it is a most gallant Herb of the Sun: it is a pity it is in no more 

 use than it is. It is an especial remedy against the biting of the viper and all other 

 venomous beasts or serpents, as also against poyson or poysonful herbs. Dlosco- 

 rides and others say that whosoever shall take of the herb or root before they be bitten 

 shall not be hurt by the poyson of any serpent. The root or seed are thought to be 

 most effectual to comfort the heart and expel sadness or cause less melancholy." ■ 



This plant dried and powdered forms an ingredient of the celebrated Spanish 

 remedy against the bites of vipers and mad dogs. 



/ / 4 



SPECIES II.— E CHIUM PLANTAGINEUM. mm.--^^^^^^^'-'-^; 



Plate MXC VI. y„^}t,\^ J?,7,Wiv^. 



Fdch. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVIII. Tab. MCCC. Fig.?. 1 and 2. 



BlUof, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 232ti. 



E. violaceum, E. B. S. No. 2798. Bah. Man. Brit. Bot. ed. v. p. 230. Hool: & Am. 



Brit. Fl. ed. viii. p. 289. Benth. Handbk. Brit. Fl. p. 374. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ. 



et Helv. cd. ii. p. 578. (Non Linn. Herb.) 



Stem herbaceous, scarcely hispid, thinly clothed with rather long 



VOL. VII. N 



