214 GAMOPETALOUS EXOGENS 



have had a similar experience of it, I am not informed. So far as 

 I have observed, the plant is generally confined to fence-rows, and 

 the low shaded grounds along streams. 



ORDER LXVL BOR'AGINACEAE. 



Chiefly hirsute herbs; stems round; leaves alternate, entire, not aromatic ; stipules 

 none; flowers usually regular, and nearly symmetrical, mostly in one-sided 

 racemes, or spikes, which are revolute (circinnate, or scorpioid) before development ; 

 calyx 5-parted ; coroUa 5-lobed, with 5 stamens inserted on the tube ; ovary deeply 

 4-parted, becoming in fruit 4 seed-like nutlets, surrounding the base of the style ; 

 seeds single, pendulous, with little or no albumen. 



An order, for the most part, of rough homely plants, some of them very ob- 

 noxious weeds. Several species have showy flowers; and some of the Heliotropt* 

 are admired for their fragrance. 



g 1. Nutlets fixed to the receptacle (free from the base of the style.') 

 f Corolla irregular. 



310. E X CHIUM, Tournef. 



[Gr. Echis, a viper ; the nutlets somewhat resembling a viper's head.] 

 Corolla subcampanulate, unequally and obliquely lobed; throat 

 expanded, naked. Stamens mostly exserted, unequal. Nutlets 

 rugose or tuberculate, with a small flat scar at base. Flowers in 

 panicled spikes, at first purplish, finally bright violet-blue. 



1. E. vulgdre, L. Stem tuberculate-hispid ; leaves linear-lanceolate ; 



flowers in short lateral spikes. 



COMMON ECHIUM. Blue-Weed. Viper's Bugloss. 



Biennial. Stem 2 to 3 feet high, branched above. Radical leaves 5 to 8 inches 

 long, petiolate; stem-leaves smaller, acute, sessile. Spikes axillary, numerous. 

 Nutlets subovoid, angular on the inner side, keeled on the back, acuminate and a 

 little incurved, rough with greyish-brown tubercles. 

 Sab. Fields, &c. Nat. of Europe. Fl. June. Fr. Aug. 



Obs. This showy, but pernicious weed, is gradually making ita 

 way into various sections of our County. It was detected in the 

 vicinity of West Chester, during the past summer (1851), by Misa 

 HARRIET HARLAN, a Teacher of Botany in PRICE'S Female Seminary. 

 The Farmers as well as the Lady Botanists will do well to keep a 

 vigilant eye upon it. 



f f Corolla regular. * Nutlets excavated at base. 



311. SYM'PHYTIJM, Tournef. 

 [Gr. Symphyo, to join; from its supposed healing virtues.] 

 Corolla tubular, with short revolute lobes ; throat ventricose, closed 

 by 5 lanceolate scales. Stamens included; anthers elongated. 

 Coarse perennials: flowers in nodding hispid racemes, yellowish- 

 white. 



1. S. OFFICINALE, L. Stem winged above by the decurrence of the 

 sessile leaves ; lower leaves ovate-lanceolate, tapering to a petiole. 

 OFFICINAL SYMPHYTUM. Garden Comfrey. 



Stem 2 to 3 feet high, branched, grooved or angular, and hispidly pilose. Learea 

 8 to 12 inches long, rugose and scabrous ; petioles of the lower ones 3 to 5 inches in 



