39? ME M O I R S of tb(f 
Calyx or cafe to the lower or tubulous part of each flower 
fervcs alfo for its feed-veflfel j in the bottom of which is con- 
tained, in all Mr. \Petiver oblcrved, four feeds fet clofe toge- 
ther upon a plane, which drop out, when ripe, the hulk being 
always open, and commonly divided into five points, which 
anfwer the fegments of each flower : The virtue of thefe laft 
chiefly confifts in the leaves and hufks, rather than in the 
flowers; Mr. 'Petiver's reafons for giving the preference, con- 
trary to all authors, to the hufks of this tribe, before the 
flowers, are, becaufe he commonly obferved that the Calyces 
are the chiefeft, if not the only part of the plant, on which he 
found its vifcous or fulphureous particles adhere 5 and this may 
be very eafily perceived, not only by its much ftronger and 
more penetrating fmell, but by its clamminefs far beyond the 
other parts, as is very apparent, particularly in the hulls of 
lage and clary ; and if you diflil thefe with fpirits of wine, 
you will find it much ftronger, than what is diftiUed from a 
greater quantity of flowers only 5 for thefe, confifting of finer 
and more volatile particles, are capable of retaining only what 
the vicinity of the ftronger and thicker contexture of the C^- 
lyceSf can eafily communicate to them ; Mr. (Petlver fuppofes 
that the greateft part of this tribe is a degree warmer than the 
laft 5 and confequently that their heat approaches nearer to the 
nature of A'l'omatics than Carminatives ^ and that their eflfc^s 
are more peculiarly adapted to fuch nervous difeafes, as arc 
more intenfe, and to which the UmheUif€r<e cannot fo quickly 
reach, viz,, in apoplexies, epilepfies, palfies, ^c. in which 
cafes lavender, rofemary, ftoechas and fome others, are fimples 
which all our ancient phyficians have very much commended in 
thefe ftubborn difeafes 5 as alfo mint, baulm, penny-royal, fa- 
vory, thyme, hyiTop, marjoram, bafil, origan, dittany of Crete^ 
Marum or common maftic-thyme, with Marum fyriacum and 
fome others; three herbs which have a tetra-petalous regular 
flower, f. e. four equal Petala in each flower, are, in relation 
to their feed-veflels, fubdivided under two heads, viz. Sili- 
(juofdd and CapfulatdP^ being fuch as have their feeds contained 
in long or fhort receptacles, as pods or Capfules : The known 
herbs of this genus, that are moft commonly ufed in phyfic, 
are, muftard, rape, rocket, jack of the hedge, Paronychia or 
whitbw-grafs, flix-weed, hedge-muftard, nofe-fmart, fcurvy- 
grafs of both forts, with fome others : The moft effential vir- 
tues and ufes of the herbs of this clafs Mr. "Petiver obferved 
was more particularly in the leaves and feed, and next to thefe 
in 
