THE BORAGE FAMILY 335 



leaves, which are usually covered with hairs or Dristles rising from a 

 swollen base. This character was considered by Linnaeus suffi- 

 ciently constant to give to the Order the name AsperifolicB, or 

 Rough-leaved plants; but the present name of the Order is 

 preferable as being more comprehensive, a few species in it 

 having perfectly smooth leaves. Most members of the Order 

 bear their flowers in rolled up, scorpioid racemes, a few expanding 

 at a time. The calyx is inferior, deeply 5-, or rarely 4-cleft, 

 and persistent ; the corolla hypogynous, 5-, or rarely 4-cleft, 

 frequently having teeth at the mouth of the tube, and most com- 

 monly blue or purple. Many, when first opening, how^ever, are of 

 a pink hue, which subsequently deepens, so that it is not unusual 

 to see flowers of different tints in the s^me cluster. The stamens 

 are 5, inserted on the corolla and alternate with its lobes ; the 

 carpels 2, forming a 4-parted, 4-seeded ovary, with a single, gyno- 

 basic style; and the fruit a regma of 4, rarely 2, one-seeded 

 nutlets. They possess no remarkable properties, but abound in a 

 soft alkaline mucilage, which gives a coolness to beverages in 

 which they are steeped, on which account Borage is an ingredient 

 in claret-cup. The roots of Alkanet and some others contain 

 a red substance which is used as a dye. Myosotis pah/siris, the 

 V ergiss-mein-nicht of German romance, has now obtained the 

 English name "Forget-me-not," formerly applied for very 

 unromantic reasons to Ajuga Chamikpitys. 



I. Cynoglossum. — Calyx 5-cleft ; corolla polysymmetric, 

 funnel-shaped, its mouth closed by prominent blunt scales ; 

 nutlets with hooked bristles. 



*2. AsPERUGO. — Calyx with 5 leafy lobes and smaller alternate 

 teeth ; corolla polysymmetric, funnel-shaped, wnth rounded scales 

 in the throat ; nutlets flattened, tubercled. 



3. Symphytum. — Calyx deeply 5-cleft ; corolla polysymmetric, 

 bell-shaped, closed with 5 awl-shaped scales ; stamens short, 

 included. 



4. BoRAGO. — Calyx deeply 5-cleft ; corolla rotate, its throat 

 closed with 5 short, erect, notched scales ; filaments forked ; 

 anthers prominent, converging in a cone. 



5. Anchusa. — Calyx deeply 5-cleft ; corolla salver-shaped, with 

 a straight tube, its throat closed by prominent blunt scales ; 

 stamens included. 



6. Lycopsis. — Calyx deeply 5-cleft ; corolla oblique, funnel- 

 shaped, with a bent tube ; otherwise like Anchusa. 



7. Pulmonaria. — Calyx-tube long, 5-cleft ; corolla salver- 

 shaped, polysymmetric, its throat naked ; stamens included ; 

 nutlets smooth. 



