110 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Sub-Genus II EU-ANCHUSA. Gren. and Godr. (Ancuusa Linn.) 



Tube of the corolla as long as or longer than the Ihnb, straight ; 

 limb regular. Nucules with the ring at the base not prolonged into 

 an appendage. 



SPECIES II.~A NCHUSA OFFICINALIS. Lmn. 



Plate MCXII. 



Bekli. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XVIII. Tab. MCCCIX. 

 Billot, n. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 822. 



Biennial. Radical leaves elliptical, attenuated into distinct petioles ; 

 stem leaves strapshaped or oblong, entire, the upper ones sessile or 

 semi-amplexicaul ; bracts lanceolate, semi-amplexicaul, the lower ones 

 generally exceeding the calyx. Pedicels much shorter than the calyx, 

 spreading in fruit. Calyx segments strapshaped, divided about half- 

 way down. Tube of the corolla straight, about as long as the calyx ; 

 limb concave, regular, rather narrower across than the length of the 

 tube ; scales velvety. Style as long as the calyx. Nucules without 

 an appendage at the base, bordered, strongly wrinkled and thickly 

 covered with small raised dots. Plant thickly but rather softly 

 hairy. 



In waste places. Very rare, and probably not native. On the 

 links at Hartley in Northumberland ; " Kilsyth and Arnbrae, and at 

 Uddingston, eight miles from Glasgow." {Hook, and Am. Brit. Fl.) 



[England, Scotland.] Biennial. Summer, Autumn. 



Stem erect or decumbent, 1 to 2 feet high, branched in large 

 examples, angular, tough, thickly clothed with stiff woolly hairs, which 

 are not vulnerant. Radical leaves (including the petiole) 3 to 6 inches 

 long, lower stem leaves subpetiolate, the upper ones 1-^ to 4 inches 

 long, rather sparingly clothed with bristly woolly hairs seated on 

 tubercles of unequal size. Racemes in pairs, short in flower, elongate 

 in fruit, when they attain a length of from 2 to 4 inches. Calyx in flower 

 i inch long, in fruit about -^-^ inch, sparingly clothed with incurved 

 bristly-woolly hairs. Limb of the corolla Jr inch across, dark bluish 

 violet; scales pure white, thickly covered with short thick hairlikc 

 papilla;. Nucules about -^^ inch long, fuscous, with the border and 

 raised points pale. Plant rather dark dull green. 



Common Alkanet. 



Frencli, Uuglosse officinale. German, gehrduchlichc Oclisenzuncjc. 



This plant was formerly valued as an emollient, and likewise esteemed as a cordial, 

 but its properties do not entitle it to be regarded as a valuable nicdi^'inal herb. 



