SANICLE 51 



Circtea, Dioscorides, is from Circe, the enchantress, who from her 

 knowledge of herbs would procure love, and Lutetiana from Paris, 

 Lutetia being the old name for it. 



The plant is called Mandrake, Bindweed, Enchanter's Nightshade. 



Of the name Enchanter's Nightshade, Gerarde says: "The error 

 of some who have taken Mandragoras for Circsea, in which error they 

 have still persisted unto this daie, attributing unto Circsea the virtues of 

 Mandragora . . 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



120. Circcea Lutetiana, L. Stem erect, branched, downy, leaves 

 ovate, acute, dentate, flowers white, in a raceme, calyx 2-cleft, hairy, 

 stamens pink, fruit with hooked bristles. 



Sanicle (Sanicula europaea, L.) 



Wood Sanicle is widely dispersed, its recent distribution being 

 Europe and N. Africa. It is found in all the counties of Great 

 Britain except Peebles, the Orkney and Shetland Islands. In the 

 North of England it has been found to ascend to altitudes of con- 

 siderably over 1000 ft. 



Sanicle is a clay-loving plant, foncl of the shade of woods, and 

 growing under trees in the moist depths of a wood, or the more open 

 shelter of copses on the side of a hill. In such places it is accom- 

 panied by Wood Anemone, Goldielocks, Wood-sorrel, Primrose, Wood 

 Forget-me-not, Bluebell, and many other umbrageous species. 



There is scarcely anything, but its umbels of flowers and seed, to 

 suggest the umbelliferous affinity of this plant. It is an erect, not very 

 tall, plant, with leaves divided into lobes to the middle, 3- or 5-lobed, 

 with numerous fine -pointed teeth. Most of the leaves arise from 

 the base of the stem, in the manner of celery, but are more widely 

 spreading. The leaves are dark green and glossy, with a dark-brown 

 or reddish tinge. 



The flowers are pink or white, and are arranged not strictly in an 

 umbel but a panicle, the female florets being unstalked, the outer male 

 stalked. The umbels are irregular with few rays. The fruit is sur- 

 rounded by turned-back hooked bristles, the styles being persistent. 



The plant is about i foot in height. Flowers can be found in 

 June and July. Sanicle is a perennial plant capable of division by 

 the roots. 



The plant is andromoncecious, i.e. the flower is hermaphrodite, and 

 there are also male flowers. There are 1-3 proterandrous herma- 



