256 BORACtINE^ 



somewhat astringent in flavour, and Ijelieved to be a good demulcent. It is 

 not, however, of any service, except as a soothing and cooling drink, its 

 refrigerant properties being due to the nitre contained by this, as well as by 

 the borage and other allied plants. So much of this salt is found in the 

 Lungwort, that when burnt it yields one-seventh of its weight in ashes. In 

 the north of Europe it is commonly boiled for the table, and according to 

 John Eay, it was formerly thus used in Scotland. Some of the garden 

 species of Fulmonaria are very pretty. Such is the Virginian Lungwort 

 (P. virginica), which in dry springs is a very ornamental plant, and which is 

 by some writers considered but a variety of this species. It is not a 

 native of these islands, Init has had a place in our gardens for so long that 

 early escapes have got thoroughly naturalized in a few of our woods and 

 copses. 



2. Narrow-leaved Lungwort (P. angustifdlia). — Leaves all lanceolate, 

 upper ones sessile, lower ones stalked ; perennial. This is a rare plant also 

 of woods and thickets, and apparently truly wild. It has been found in 

 Hampshire and Dorset, and is distinguished from the Common Lungwort by 

 its taller stem, and its greater degree of down, as well as by the form of the 

 leaves, which are also generally free from white spots. It is not, however, 

 very distinct from the former plant. Its flowers are purple, and its buds 

 pink ; and it is in blossom from March to June. 



3. G-ROMWELL {LithospSrmum). 



L Common Gromwell {L. officinale). — Stem erect, very much branched ; 

 leaves broadly lanceolate, acute, nerved, rough above, with bristles closely 

 pressed to the surface, hairy beneath ; tube of the corolla as long as the calyx ; 

 perennial. This plant would have little to interest the wanderer in the fields 

 Avho noticed only the hue and fragrance of flowers. It grows on the rubbish- 

 heap, or on dry banks, often among the goose-foots, the dog's mercury, and 

 other unattractive plants, and is in England very frequent, though rare in 

 Scotland. The stem is a foot or a foot and a half high, the leaves very rough, 

 the flowers small, scentless, and of a pale dingy yellow, expanding in June. 

 But this dull-looking plant is very interesting to the botanist, from the 

 singular stony covering of its seeds. These little nut-like fruits are at first of 

 a dull greenish-white, but afterwards become of a greyish colour, slightly tinged 

 with brown, and are bright and glossy like porcelain, and so hard that it is 

 difficult to break them. This membrane, when analyzed, is found to contain 

 a large quantity of flinty material, making the nut like a little stone. Hence 

 it was called by early French writers Herbe aux perles ; hence also its botanic 

 and English names, the latter being from the Celtic graun, a seed, and mil, a 

 stone. One or other species of the Gromwells is known pretty well through- 

 out Europe. In France, the plant is commonly called Le Gh-enil ; the Spaniards 

 term it Lifhosperma ; and both the G-ermans and Dutch have a reference to its 

 stony fruits in their names of Steinsaiae and Steenzaad. In winter, when the 

 green portion of the plant has died awaj^, the woody part of the stem and 

 branches remains, and is decked with the pearl-like seeds, presenting a most 

 singular appearance. 



2. Corn Gromwell, or Bastard Alkanet {L. arvdnse).— atom erect, 



