543 



• 



collected into an order by Gaesalpinus, and received the 

 above appellation from Ray, because of their generally 

 harsh or rough habit. Their root is fibrous. Cotyledons 

 two. Stem branched ; the branches alternate and round. 

 Leaves alternate, simple ; neither divided nor compound, 

 for the most part nearly entire, rough with rigid scattered 

 hairs; convolute before they expand. Stipulas none; 

 nor are there, except very rarely, any other fulcra, or ap- 

 pendages. Common flowerstalk having the flowers ranged 

 along one side. Before flowering it is rolled spirally 

 backwards, gradually expanding as the flowers are ready 

 to open, and divided into two parts, each bearing the 

 flowers on its back, in the form of an unilateral spike. 

 Calyx in five divisions. Corolla inferior, of one petal, 

 regular except in Echium, five-cleft ; its mouth either fur- 

 nished with vaulted valves, or crowned with teeth, or 

 naked. Stamens five, equal ; in Echium only they are 

 unequal. Fruit superior. Germens four, naked, except 

 in Cynoglossum, Tournefortia, and Nolana ; inserted in o 

 the receptacle by their base ; hence the lowest part of 

 each seed is of a tapering form, as if artificially rounded. 

 Pistil one. Style not standing upon the germens, but 

 occupying the central space between them ; often divided 

 into two equal parts ; not one longer than the other as in 

 the class Didynamia. Seeds four, rarely combined into 

 two ; but it is singular that Nolana has five seeds." Lin- 

 naeus has, as already mentioned, removed this genus to 

 his Lurida, order 28th. 



" The Asperifolia are distributed according to the 

 mouth, or throat, of their corolla, which is naked, or per- 

 vious, in Echium, Pulmonaria, Lithospermum, Heliotro- 

 pium, Cerinthe, and Onosma ; toothed in Symphytum and 

 Borago ; closed with vaulted valves in Cynoglossum, 

 Asperugo, Anchusa, Lycopsis, Myosotis, and Tourne- 

 fortia.'' 



In the Gen. Plant. Messerschmidia, Coldenia, Hydro- 

 phyllum, and Ellisia are inserted in manuscript. 



