116 History of Hingham. 



the plants of the family have pervading them a very bitter princi- 

 ple, which, affording a good tonic, has led to the extensive use of 

 several of the species medicinally. 



Gentiana, Tourn. 



crinita, Froel. Fringed Gentian. 

 Andrewsii, Griseb. Closed Gentian. 



Bartonia, Muhl. 

 tenella, Muhl. 



Menyanthes, Tourn. 



trifoliata, L. Buckbean. Not common. 



51. BORRAGINACEiE. (BORAGE FAMILY.) 



Mostly herbs. All our species are such, and all bristly or hairy. 

 They are mucilaginous and harmless. 



Myosotis, Dill. 



arvensis, tloffm. 



verna, Nutt. 



laxa, Lehm. 



palustris, With. Foi'get-me-not. 



Symphytum, Tourn. 



officinale, L. Comfrev. Rare. 



Echium, Tourn. 



vulgare, L. Blue-weed. Rare. 



Echinospermum, Lehm. 



Lappula, LeJim. Stick-seed. Rare. 



Lythospernum, Tourn. 



arvense, L. Corn Gromwell. 



52. CONVOLVULACEJE. (CONVOLVULUS FAMILY). 



Mostly herbs, twining about other plants; always so with those 

 of our town. Two of these of the genus Cuscuta are parasitic 

 upon the bark of the herbs or shrubs they climb upon. Some 

 species are very ornamental in cultivation, as the Morning Glory 

 and the Cypress vine. 



The roots of the plants have generally a milky juice which is 

 used in medicine as a purgative. The Sweet Potato is a valuable 

 product of a plant of this family, native to the East Indies, but 

 now cultivated in all tropical and semi-tropical regions, and even 

 to a considerable extent within the temperate zone. It will 

 flourish well in Hingham and yield good-sized tubers, but they 

 lack the sweetness of such as come from the Carolinas. 



Convolvulus, Tourn. 



sepium, L. Hedge Bindweed. 

 arvensis, L. Smaller Bindweed. 



Gnscuta, Touru. 



Gronovii, Willd. Dodder, 

 compacta, Juss. Rare. 



