544 



" All the Asperifolia are mucilaginous, and act only 

 as such. The ancients selected their four cordial flowers 

 out of this order, seeming not to have been aware that 

 the motion of the heart depends upon the nerves, which 

 therefore must be strengthened if the force of the heart 

 is to be increased. This end however is not to be at- 

 tained by either the flowers or the herbs of this tribe, 

 which nevertheless have long been used for the purpose. 

 The leaves may be eaten as food, by which their small 

 medical use may be estimated. The root is perennial 

 and mucilaginous ;" (we would rather say, " if perennial, 

 is mucilaginous," which perhaps were the original words 

 of the lecture.) "Among the whole, Symphytum abounds 

 most with mucilage, equalling, in quantity as well as 

 quality, the monadelphous plant Althaa in this respect. 

 Symphytum tuberosum has been recommended in the 

 gout. Possibly its mucilaginous quality may hinder the 

 crystallization of the gouty matter. The root in almost 

 all the Asperifoliff, is red, but for the most part externally 

 only. The root of Lithospermum tinctorium, now Anchusa 

 tinctoria, is used for its colouring properties. Of all 

 plants, the herbs of this order yield the largest proportion 

 of ashes. There is hardly an odoriferous, nor one fra- 

 grant, herb in the whole tribe ; though Cynoghssum has 

 a somewhat foetid scent. Their taste is nothing, the 

 great quantity of mucilage involving the stimulating par- 

 ticles. These herbs are esculent, especially when young 

 and tender, although their rough surface renders them 

 less agreeable to delicate palates. They generally grow 

 in dry mountainous situations ; and it is singular that in 

 proportion as they are found nearer to water, they become 

 smoother." 



Order 42. Verticillatje. "Ray, in constructing 

 his system, founded three classes, which all succeeding 

 botanists hitherto have approved, the Stellata, Asperi- 

 folia, and Verticillata; but he was unable to give proper 

 characters of the genera. Hermann subsequently, esta- 



