like scent: and "sops in wine," as it was frequently used to 

 flavour liquors and choice dishes; being thought medicinal, as 

 well as agreeable. Hence, also, its modern specific name, 

 from Caryophyllum, Latin for a clove . 



Some derive the English name Carnation, from Carries, 

 Latin, for flesh colour, which may have been the predomi- 

 nant original colour of the flower. 



" Carnation'd like a sleeping infant's cheek." 



Byron. 



The floieer of the Carnation is, sometimes, more than 

 three inches in diameter. The petals crenate, but less 

 fringed, or notched, than those of the pink sometimes not 

 at all so. The calyx more than an inch in length, termi- 

 nating with broad points, calyx-scales, somewhat rhomboid, 

 very short. 



Indian Pink; or, China Pink. 



Its flowers placed singly on branching stems, like those 

 of the common pink, of glowing vivid red colours. The 

 marks of colouring most beautiful, in its single state, ob- 

 scured when the petals multiply. It is scentless, and gene- 

 rally considered as an annual; but the plant may be pre- 

 served several years in a dry loamy soil, by cutting down 

 their flower-stalks before the seeds ripen. They require but 

 little water. 



Mountain Pink. Grey-leafed; or, Chedder Pink. 



From its being observed to grow chiefly on Chedder- 

 rocks, near the village of Chedder, in England. Native of 

 lime-stone rocks and mountains. The leaves are very glau- 

 ceous; flowers pale pink, very sweet-scented; of an humble 

 growth, but aspiring ambition as to situation. Csesius, Latin, 

 alludes to the grey colour of its herbage. 



Red Pink. 



The double, of an uniform colour, without blotches, de- 

 signated. 



Pinks have a cylindrical calyx of one leaf, divided into 

 five teeth at the orifice, two pair of scales at their base. 

 Corolla, in its single state, of five petals, with long claws 

 tapering downwards, inserted into the receptacle; borders 

 horizontally spreading, wedge-shaped, abrupt, crenate, or 

 notched. 



PLEURISY ROOT. 



Jisclepias 



Jlsclepias, from JEsculapius, the god of medicine, who 

 is said to have discovered the virtues of the plants of this 

 genus, and to whom one of the species was anciently conse- 

 crated. 



The English name Swallow-wort, applied to the whole 

 genus, is from the Dutch Swaluw-wortel from the fancied 

 resemblance of the seeds to a swallow flying. The seeds are 

 winged, as those of many other flowers, which facilitates 

 their dissemination, being more easily borne off by the wind. 



The United States furnishes the greatest variety of this 

 beautiful and useful genus of plants. The tender shoots of 

 some are eaten as asparagus. The down furnishes a silk 



or cotton used in making mattresses, and manufactured in 

 various ways. The root is in great repute in the materia 

 medica. 



The Jlsclepias Tuberosa (or Tuberous-rooted Swallow 

 wort) is variously denominated, as Pleurisy; or Ache-in-the- 

 side plant, from its medicinal virtues: Butterfly-weed, from 

 its being a favourite resort of the insects of that tribe, etc. 

 Its flowers are of a bright orange colour; stems a foot 

 high, hairy, round, dusky red; leaves alternate, lanceolate. 

 Native of Virginia, and cultivated in the royal garden at 

 Hampton court, in England. 



The Ji. Decumbens has, also, bright orange coloured 

 flowers; stem decumbent, a foot and a half high, hairy; 

 leaves narrow, flat, opposite; umbel compact, at the extremi- 

 ty of the branches. 



There are rose-coloured varieties, white, etc. The ge- 

 neral character of their flowers is, a calyx five-cleft, sharp, 

 very small, permanent; corolla monopetalous, flat, or reflex, 

 five-parted; nectaries five, growing to the tube of the fila- 

 ments, putting forth a sharp little horn, protruding from the 

 bottom, bending inwards. 



The Jlsclepias Syriaca, or Syrian Swallow wort, abun- 

 dant in North America, is much used in medicine, as an al- 

 terative, tonic, etc. the whole plant filled with a milky juice, 

 perfectly harmless. Flowers of a dingy purple, succeeded 

 by large oval pods. It is the shoots of this plant, more par- 

 ticularly, that is made a substitute for asparagus. The Cana- 

 dians are said to make sugar from its flowers, and to prefer 

 the cotton of this species. 



Jlsclepias incarnata, flesh coloured swallow-wort. 

 Leaves lanceolate; stem divided at the top; umbels erect, 

 twin. This puts out several upright stalks about two feet 

 high; at the top of which are produced close umbels of pink 

 flowers in August. 



POLYANTHOS. 



Primula. 

 (See Primrose.) 



Polyanthos, a word used in general to denote a plant 

 which bears several or more flowers. It is compounded from 

 the Greek B-SJ.V;, much, many, and av5o s , a flower. The 

 Polyanthos, like the Auricula, produces an umbel of many 

 flowers on one common scape or stem. 



Those most admired, are shaded with a dark rich crim- 

 son, resembling velvet, with bright golden yellow edges. 



" Cinque spotted like the crimson drops 

 P the bottom of a cowslip. 



Bring the rathe Primrose that forsaken dies, 



Shaks. 



With cowslips wan that hang the pensive head, 

 And every flower that sad embroidery wears. 



Milton's Lycidas. 



And Polyanthos of unnumber'd dyes. Thomson. 



The love-sick cowslip, that head inclines, 



To hide a bleeding heart. Hurdis. 



