218 



CRUCIFER^:. LXX. LEPIDIUM. 



taste of plants). D. C. syst. 2. p. 533. prod. 1. p. 204. Silicle 

 somewhat orbicular, emarginate, with navicular valves, which 

 are winged on their back (f. 47. a.) Cotyledons parted. 



9 L. SATiVuM (Lin. spec. 899.) pods orbicular, winged ; leaves 

 variously cut and divided ; branches not spiny. O- H. Na- 

 tive of Persia and the island of Cyprus, in corn-fields. Smith, fl. 

 grsec. t. 616. Bois. fl. eur. t. 440. f. 2. Schkuhr. handb. 2, 

 no. 1782. 1. 180. Thlaspi sativum, Crantz. austr. 1. p. 21. Lepia 

 sativa, Desv. journ. bot. 3. p. 165. Herb erect, branched, 

 smooth, somewhat glaucous. 



Far. fl, crispum (D. C. syst. 2. p. 534.) leaves much cut and 

 curled. Nasturtium crispum, J. Bauh. hist. 2. p. 913. f. 1. 

 Mor. oxon. 2. p. 301. sect. 3. 1. 19. f. 3. 



Var. y, latifdlium (D. C. 1. c.) leaves flat, little divided. 

 Mor. oxon. 2. p. 300. sect. 3. t. 19. f. 2. 



Garden-cress (Eng.), Cresson (Fr.), Gemeine kresse (Germ.), 

 Creseione (Ital.). 



" This is cultivated in gardens for the young leaves, which are 

 used in salads, and have a peculiarly warm and grateful relish. 

 It ranks among gardeners as the principal of small salads. The 

 varieties are as follows, viz. 1 . The common plain-leaved ; prin- 

 cipally cultivated. 2. The curled-leaved, var. /3, above, is 

 equally good as a salad, and preferable as a garnish. The broad- 

 leaved var. y above, is less cultivated as a salad, but grown in 

 fields for rearing young turkeys, &c. 



" All the varieties are raised from seed, of which one ounce, 

 or one-eighth of a pint, will suffice for a bed four feet by four 

 feet. Cress should be raised three or four times every month, 

 as it may be in demand to have crops delicately young in succes- 

 sion. For culture in the open garden begin in the first, second, 

 or third week in March, as a forward spring may bring mild 

 weather or otherwise ; allot some warm situation for the early 

 spring sowings, and if the weather take a cold turn, either put 

 on a spare frame or cover with matting between sunset and sun- 

 rise. When spring is confirmed, sow in any open compartment. 

 At the beginning of summer the same ; but in hot dry weather 

 either sow in a shady border, or if the situation be open, shade 

 with mats in the middle of the day. For autumn sowings, when 

 cold weather is approaching, allot some warm border and give 

 occasional protection. When crops are in demand through- 

 out winter, either sow in a moderate hot-bed, or in cradles to be 

 placed in a stove ; pans filled with rotten tan are to be preferred 

 to pots or boxes with mould. From the last fortnight of October 

 till the 1st of March, it will be almost fruitless to sow in the 

 open garden ; but a terrace sloping south under a frame, may be 

 used at the decline of the year and most early part of spring, 

 as the intermediate step between the open garden and hot-bed, 

 if more within the means at command. During this interval, 

 some market-gardeners sow it just within the glasses which 

 cover larger plants." " The cress is often raised on porSus 

 earthenware vessels of a conical form, having small gutters on 

 the sides for retaining the seeds. These are called pyramids ; 

 they are somewhat ornamental in winter, and afford repeated 

 gatherings. 



'' Having allotted a fine piece of mellow soil to receive the 

 seed, dig the surface, and rake it finally preparatory to sowing, 

 which mostly perform in small, flat, shallow drills, four, five, 

 or six inches asunder. Sow the seed very thick, and earth over 

 very lightly, or but just thinly cover. Give occasional waterings 

 in dry seasons." 



" To gather cress in perfection, cut them while moderately 

 young, either clean to the root, or only the tops of advanced 

 plants. These last will shoot again for future gatherings, but 

 the leaves will be hotter, and not so mild or tender as those of 

 younger plants." 



To save seed. Either sow a portion in the spring for that 



1 



purpose, or leave some rows of any overgrown old crop in April 

 or May. The plants will yield seed in autumn. 



Cultivated or Common Garden Cress. Fl. June, July. Clt. 

 1548. PI. 1 to 1| foot. 



10 L. SPIKE'SCENS (D. C. syst. 2. p. 534.) pods oval, 

 winged, emarginate (f. 47. a.); leaves cut at the top; racemes 

 spinescent at the top. ? H. Native of Syria about Damas- 

 cus. A smooth, branched herb. Cotyledons as in L. oleraceum 

 incumbent, 3-parted. Stems whitish. Deless. icon. sel. 2. t. 72. 

 Fructiferous racemes spiny at the top. 



Spinescent Cress. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1820. PI. 1 to \\ 

 foot. 



SECT. V. LE'PIA (from Xtn-tc, lepis, a scale ; form of silicles). 

 D. C. syst. 2. p. 534. prod. 1. p. 204, Silicle somewhat orbi- 

 cular, emarginate, with navicular, winged valves ; wings adhering 

 to the style ; style very short. Cotyledons entire. 



11 L. CAMPE'STRE (R. Br. in hort. kew. ed. 2. vol. 4. 

 p. 465.) pods ovate, winged, emarginate, scaly; cauline leaves 

 sagittate, toothed. O- H. Native of cultivated fields and by 

 way-sides in Europe from Spain to Sweden, from England to 

 Turkey, and in Tauria ; plentiful in Britain. Thlaspi campestre, 

 Lin. spec. 902. Vahl. fl. dan. 1. 1221. Curt. lond. 5. t. 45. Smith, 

 engl. bot. t. 1385. Schkuhr. handb. 2. no. 1793. t. 180. Thlaspi 

 hirsutum, var. a. Lam. fl. fr. ed. 1. vol. 2. p. 465. Thlaspi mon- 

 tanum, Poir. diet. 7. p. 536. Lepia campestris, Desv. journ. bot. 

 3. p. 165. The whole herb is grey from small, simple, crowded 

 hairs. Stem erect, simple at the base and branched at the top. 



Var. ft, subglabrum (D. C. syst. 2. p. 335.) leaves smooth; 

 pods elliptical. Mor. oxon. 2. p. 293. sect. 3. t. 17. f. 13. 

 Pet. brit. t. 50. f. 8. Native of Spain in the mountains of 

 Leon, also in England in cultivated fields near Warrington. 



Var. y, hirtmn (Huds. ang. 281.) plant rather hairy. Native 

 of England in corn-fields near Bath. 



Field Mithridate Pepperwort. Fl. July. Britain. PI. i to -| ft. 



12 L. HI'RTUM (Smith, compen. ed. 3. p. 98. engl. bot. 1. 1803.) 

 pods ovate, winged, emarginate, hairy ; cauline leaves sagittate, 

 villous, almost entire. I/ . or $ . H. Native in fields and hilly 

 ground in many parts of the south of Europe, particularly in 

 Spain about Madrid, and in Valencia ; in the olive region of 

 France ; in Italy, south of Austria, Transylvania, and Sicily ; 

 in Britain, in mountainous situations in Wales and elsewhere ; 

 Scotland, in Perthshire near the seat of the Earl of Kinnoul, 

 and by the river Earn ; in Angusshire between Brichen and 

 Montrose ; at Browston in Suffolk. Thlaspi hirtum, Lin. spec. 

 901. Medik. nov. gen. t. 2. f. 18. Thlaspi hirsutum /3, Lam. fl. 

 fr. 2. p. 465. L&pia hirta, Desv. journ. bot. 3. p. 166. Lepia 

 Bonnaniana, Presl. ex Spreng. Very like the preceding species. 



Hairy Mithridate Pepperwort. Fl. June, July. Britain. PI. 

 to | foot. 



13 L. LEIOCA'RPUM (D. C. syst. 2. p. 536.) pods oval, winged, 

 emarginate, smooth, boat-shaped. O ? H. Native of mount 

 Lebanon. Flowers and cauline leaves unknown. Seed like those 

 of L. hirtum. Radical leaves lanceolate. 



Smooth-podded Mithridate Pepperwort. PL \ to -| foot. 



14 L. ROTU'NDUM (D. C. syst. 2. p. 537.) pods oval, winged, 

 emarginate, smooth ; cauline leaves lanceolate-linear, somewhat 

 fleshy, smooth. Native of New Holland at King George's 

 Sound. Lepia rotunda, Desv. journ. bot. 3. p. 166 and 181. 

 Stem slender, branched from the base. Flowers unknown. 

 Seeds large, brown. Cotyledons thick. 



Round Mithridate Pepperwort. Fl. June, July. PI. i foot. 



15 L. SPINO'SUM (Lin. mant. 253.) pods oblong, winged, emar- 

 ginate, somewhat 2-horned, smooth ; radical leaves pinnate ; 

 lobes cut. O- H. Native of the Levant. Ard. specim. 2. p. 

 34. t. 16. Capsella spinosa, Medik. in Ust. new. arm. 2. p. 46. 



