870 CRAM BE. fCLASS XV. OROKR I. 



Being sent that dreadful news to bear, 



Offensive war proclaimed.'' 



And further, in allusion to its being used by the dark workers of 

 witchcraft, he says 



" The night-shade strows to work him ill, 

 Therewith the vervain an<l her dill, 

 That hindereth witches of their will.'' 



From these ancient uses of the plant it has been with good reason 

 selected in the language of flowers as the emblematic sign of enchant- 

 ment. The potential virtues said to have been found in this plant 

 are not confirmed by modern usages and investigations: it is neither 

 possessed of powers of enchantment, nor of valuable medicinal pro- 

 perlies ; consequently it is entirely neglected. 



CLASS XV. 



TETRADYNA'MIA. (Six Stamens, four long 

 and two short.) 



ORDER I. 



SILICULOSA. Fruit a short pod or pouch. 



GENUS I. CRAM'BE. LINN. Kale. 



Nat. Ord. CRUCIF'ER.E.* Jess. 



GEN. CHAR. Silicula two jointed, iudehiscent, one celled, the lower 

 joint abortive, resembling a pedicle, the upper globose, one seeded. 

 Seeds round, pendulous, from the end of the long filiform curved 



* This is one of the most natural and uniform orders of plants that are known, 

 as well as one of the most extensive. It is called Cniciferce, nr Cross bearing 

 plants, from the corolla being formed of four petals, disposed in a cross-like 

 form ; but as there are other orders of plants having the same cruciform dis- 

 position of their petals, as Capparidacea:, Papavaricea , &c., it has been proposed 

 to call this order Brassicacea, from the well-known genus Brassica. 



The Ciucifcra:, or Brassicacea:, are herbaceous plants, (rarely becoming 

 suffruticose), annual, biennial, or perennial, with round or irregular angular 

 stems, the leaves alternate, simple, cut, rarely truly compound, and without 

 stipules. The flowers are regular, white or yellow, rarely red or purple. The 

 calyx is formed of four sepals, free, and set crosswise, the outer ones are (mostly 

 narrowest) opposite the placenta ; the two inner ones are opposite the valves of 

 the fruit, and mostly gibbous or spurred at the base; Petals four, with long 

 narrow claws, the limb mostly equal, sometimes abortive. Stamens six, two of 

 which are opposite the valvular sepals, and are shorter than the other four, which 



