LENTIBULARIACEiE. 123 



SPECIES I.— PIN GUICU LA VULGARIS. Lhu,. 



Tlaie MCXXI. 



nakh. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XX. Tab. MDCCCXIX. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsica No. 2502. 



Leaves thick, fleshy, oblong, obtuse. Calyx segments deltoid-ovate, 

 acute. Corolla bilabiate; tube longer than the limb; spur shorter 

 than the lower lip, subulate, neai-ly straight, acute or faintly notched; 

 segments of the lower lip roundish, usually not contiguous, much longer 

 than the vipper lip. Capsule ovoid-conical, acute. 



On bogs and wet heaths. Generally distributed, but very local in 

 the south of England; more common in the north. Common and 

 generally distributed throughout Scotland. Generally distributed in 

 Ireland, but rare in the south. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Leaves sessile, spreading, in a radical rosette, l.V to 3 inches lono-, 

 involute, curving back when the plant is pulled up. Scapes usually 

 numerous, from the axils of the leaves, 4 to 8 inches high, 1-flowered. 

 Flower drooping, |^ to f inch long (exclusive of the spur), funnel-shaped, 

 dai'k purplish blue ; lower lip longer than broad, exceeding the upper 

 one, with 3 nearly equal lobes, the middle lobe a little longer than the 

 others; spur nearly in a line with the lower side of the corolla. 

 Capsule erect, twice as long as the calyx, dark reddish-brown. Leaves 

 pale gre.en, unctuous to the touch, very smooth, shining, when fresh 

 covered with minute pale dots ; scapes dull purple ; plant glabrous, the 

 upper part of the scape, calyx, and corolla with a few short gland- 

 tipped hairs. The Rev. W. W. Newl)ould tells me he has found this 

 species with the lobes of the lower lip contiguous. 



Common Butterwort. 



French, Grassette commune. German, Gemeines Fetikraut. 



Tlie common name of this plant was undoubtedly given to it from its greasy appear- 

 ance and feel, as if, says Sir William Coles, "melted butter had been poured over 

 it." It is one of the many marsh plants that have the credit among moorland farmers 

 of causing the rot in sheep ; but the leaves are never eaten by these animals. Every 

 part of the plant is cathartic, and the leaves are frequently employed by the Welsh 

 peasantry as a piirgative medicine. Bruised, they are applied to cracks in the 

 udders of cows or to chapped hands : the latter use of the herb is suggested by old 

 Gerarde. 



In Lapland the freshly-gathered leaves are placed upon a steamer, through which 

 the milk of the reindeer is poiu-ed, or the warm milk is poured upon them, and 

 allowed to stand for a day or two, it then turns shghtly sour and becomes very thick 

 and tenacious, the whey and cream remaining unseparated. A small quantity of 

 this curdled milk, added to the fresh liquid, will cause the same change to take 

 place, ililk thus prepared is a favourite article of diet with the Laplanders and 

 Norwegians. 



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