EESEDACEzE. 5 



and E,oss, and in the neighbourhood of the Erith of Forth it is 

 extremely common. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Biennial. Summer. 



Root a long tapering tap-root, producing the first season a 

 rosette of narrowly oblanceolate leaves ixndulated at the edges. 

 Stem solitary, stiffly erect, 2 to 5 feet high, hollow with raised 

 ridges. Stem leaves narrowly oblong or strap-shaped, entire (except 

 the tooth-like adnate stipule at the base), the edges usually crimped. 

 Flowering racemes very long and slender, with the flowers quite 

 separate from each other by the time they open. Flowers very 

 j)ale yellowish green, about ^q inch across. Sepals applied to the 

 petals. Upper petal with a concave scale-like claw and a limb cut 

 into from 3 to 9 divisions ; lateral petals with 3 or 2 segments, 

 the one or two lowest generally quite simple when present, but 

 occasionally with a small lobe. -Disk urceolate, with scale-like 

 glabrous margin turned over towards the axis of the raceme. 

 Stamens 20 to 25, slightly bent down, about as long as the petals. 

 Capsule about J inch long, the carpels of which it is composed 

 sejjarate more than one-third of tlie way down. Seeds roundish- 

 ovoid, dark brown, smooth and shining. Whole plant lively green, 

 quite glabrous. 



Wild Dyer's Weed. 



French, Reseda Gaude, Uerhe d, Jaunir. German, Fdrher- Wau. 



This plant is a near relative of the Mignnnnette of our gardens ; and although it 

 has not the great charm of that favourite jilant in its delicious scent, it nevertheless 

 reminds us of it, and possesses properties which are more useful, though perhaps not 

 so attractive. Linnasus observed that the nodding spikes of this plant follow the 

 coiu-se of the sun even when the sky is clouded, pointing towards the east in tlie morn- 

 ing, to the south at noon, and the north at night. Under the name of Weld it has 

 long been in use as a dye plant. In many parts of the country it is erroneously called 

 Woad, which has given rise to some confusion respecting the true blue yielding plant 

 of our forefathers, the Isatis tinctoria. The yellow dye yielded by the Weld is much 

 used for silk, cotton, and linen. Blue cloths are dipped into it in order to become green. 

 The yellow colour called Dutch pink is obtained from this plant, which is now much 

 grown in Essex and some districts of Yorkshire, being sown in April or May,' and 

 pulled \ip when nearly out of flower, and dried in the sun. The bundles of dried plants 

 are sold under the name of Weldcord. The yellow dye is generally prepared by making 

 a decoction of the whole herb, but it seems to reside principally in the seeds. It is 

 generally employed with alum and cream of tartar; and thus prepared, the colour is 

 tolerably permanent, though it is always liable to fade by exposure to sunlight. Au 

 extract of the plant ground to powder is used by paper-stainers under the name of 

 Weld Yellow; it is now obtained in a better form by mixing a decoction of the plant 

 with a liquor formed by dissolving alum in water, and adding a solution of carbonate 

 of potassa, the colouring matter being precipitated. 



