BORAGINACEiE. Ill 



In tlie soutli of France and in some parts of Germany, where it is common, the young' 

 leaves are eaten as a green vegetable. The roots, which contain a large amount of 

 mucilage, yield, by boiling in water, a demulcent liquid which is sometimes adminis- 

 tered on the Continent. A green and red colouring matter is also made from the 

 roots for tinting, lip salve, and other things. Its chief use is in giving a fine crimson 

 colour to oils used in perfumery and in dyeing wood in imitation of rosewood. For 

 this purjjose the colour- is separated by soaking the root in oil, and the wood is rubbed 

 with the coloured oil until it is rendered sufficiently dark. About eight to ten tons 

 of the root are annually imported chiefly from France and Germany. At one time it 

 was gravely asserted and believed that if a man chewed a piece of tliis root and spat 

 it into the mouth of a viper, it would certainly kill the reptile ; but the presumption 

 seems to resemble that which bids a child to catch a bird by putting salt on its tail. 

 We find our old friend Gerard writing of a composition " called Sanguis Veiieris, 

 which is most singular in deep punctures or wounds made with thrusts." He adds, 

 " the gentlewomen of France do paint their faces with these roots, as it is said." 



Sub-Genl-s III.— CARYOLOPHA. Fisch. and Traut. 



Tulje of the corolla shorter than the width of the limb, straight. 

 Lmib regular. Nucules with the ring at the base prolonged into an 

 appendage on the inner side. 



SPECIES III.— AN CHUS A SE M P E R VI R E NS. Linn. 



Plate MCXIII. 



Bekli. Ic. Fl. Gei-m. et Helv. Vol. XVIII. Tab. MCCVI. 



Caryolopha sempervii-ens, Fiscli. and Traut. A. B.C. ia B.C. Prod. Vol. X. p. 41, ' 

 Reich, fih p. 50. 



Perennial. Radical leaves oval, abi'uptly contracted into winged 

 petioles; stem leaves ovate, acuminate, entire, the uj^per ones sessile, 

 or subsessile, slightly dccurrent. Bracts ovate or lanceolate, sessile, 

 the lowest one only exceeding the calyx. Pedicels much shorter than 

 the calyx, spreading-ascending in fruit. Calyx segments lanceolate- 

 strapshaped, divided more than half-way down. Tube of the corolla 

 straight, shorter than the calyx; limb flat, regular, twice as broad 

 across as the length of the tube ; scales linely pubescent. Stvle 

 shorter than the calyx. Nuctdes with an incurved scalelike append- 

 age produced frona the basal ring on the inner side, faintly wrinkled 

 and thickly punctate between the ridges. Plant sparingly and softly 

 hairy. 



By roadsides and in hedges. Rare, but widely distributed, and 

 25robably introduced m most of its stations, though it may perhaps be 

 considered indigenous in the west of England. In Scotland and 

 Ireland it is certainly only an introduced plant, or has escaped from 

 cultivation. 



