LABIATE. XXIX. SALVIA. 



723 



1 S. CRF. TICA (Lin. spec. p. 33.) shrubby ; stem clothed with 

 white wool ; floriferous branches clothed with white pubescence ; 

 leaves petiolate, entire, oblong-linear, narrowed at the base, 

 wrinkled : lower ones clothed with white wool beneath : floral 

 leaves sessile : uppermost ones deciduous ; racemes a little 

 branched ; whorls many-flowered ; calyx membranaceous, 

 coloured, striated, pubescent, with subulately acuminate teeth ; 

 tube of corolla exserted ; connective very short behind, and 

 bearing an empty cell. ^ . H. Native of Candia. Schreb. 

 nov. act. nat. cur. 479. t. 3. D. C. pi. rar. hort. gen. not. 4. 9. 

 t. 3. S. tenuifolia, Riv. mon. irr. 59. t. 128. S. officinalis, 

 var. angustifolia, Link. Corollas violet. Very nearly allied to 

 S. officinalis ; and differs principally in the very narrow leaves 

 and long petioles. 



Cretan Sage. Fl. June, Aug. Clt. 1760. Shrub 1 foot. 



5. LAVANDVLi;F6i.iA (Vahl, enum. 1. p. 222.) shrubby, 

 clothed with white tomentum ; leaves petiolate, entire, oblong- 

 lanceolate, narrowed at the base, wrinkled, clothed with white 

 tomentum on both surfaces ; floral leaves sessile : uppermost 

 ones deciduous ; calyx tubularly campanulate, membranaceously 

 coloured at apex, striated, pubescent : teeth all nearly equal, 

 subulately acuminated ; tube of corolla exserted ; connective 

 stretched out behind, bearing anthers at both ends, the hind cells 

 empty and connate. ^ . S. Native of Spain, on arid hills. 

 S. rosmarinifolia, Hortul. ex Roem. et Schuhes, syst. 1. p. 200. 

 - vcnuior, Desf. ex Rosra. et Schuhes, mant. 1. p. 200. S. 

 Hispanorum, Lag. gen. et spec. nov. diagn. 1. Very nearly 

 allied to S. officinalis ; and differs principally ia being canes- 

 cent ; in the leaves being narrower ; in the racemes being slen- 

 der ; in the whorls being loose and fewer-flowered ; and in the 

 calyxes being smaller, and hardly bilabiate. Corollas violet. 



Larender-lcared Sage. Shrub. 



3 S. OFFICINA'LIS (Lin. spec. p. 34.) stem shrubby, clothed 

 with white tomentum ; floriferous branches clothed with tomen- 

 tose pubescence ; leaves petiolate, entire, oblong, narrowed or 

 roundish at the base, wrinkled : lower ones clothed with white 

 wool beneath : floral leaves sessile, ovate, acuminated, mem- 

 branous at the base, striated ; racemes almost simple ; whorls 

 many-flowered, distinct ; calyx membranaceously coloured, stri- 

 ated, pubescent : teeth all subulately acuminated ; tube of co- 

 rolla exserted ; connective stretched out behind, bearing anthers 

 at both ends : hind cells empty, connate. t? . H. Native of the 

 south of Europe, in dry places ; as of Spain, south of France, 

 Piedmont, Naples, Dalmatia. Woodv. med. bot. t. 38. 1 S. 

 grandiflora, Tenore, fl. nap. prod, append. 5. p. 3. syll. p. 16. 

 but not of Ettling. S. chromatica, Hoffm. naschtr. I S. papil- 

 losa, Hoffm. naschtr. 1. p. 58. 1 S. Hispanica, &c., Besl. eyst. 

 ord. 8. fol. 1. f. 19. 2. Leaves 1 to lj inch long : upper floral 

 ones coloured. Corolla downy outside, larger or smaller, pur- 

 ple, blue, or white. There are several varieties of this species ; 

 one with variegated leaves, another with narrow leaves, and a 

 third with small leaves, &c. The leaves of this and some 

 other species are used in stuffing and sauces for many kinds of 

 luscious and strong meats, as well as to improve the flavour of 

 various articles of cookery. The decoction called sage-tea is 

 usually made from one variety, the Small-leaved green, or Sage 

 of virtue ; but any of the other varieties are equally fit for this 

 purpose. Sage has a peculiar aromatic smell, and a warm aro- 

 matic taste, with some degree of bitterness and astringency. In 

 its effects, sage agrees with other aromatics. It is stimulant, 

 carminitive, and tonic. The best preparation for these purposes 

 is an infusion of the dried leaves, drunk as tea. With the addi- 

 tion of a little lemon-juice, it proves a useful diluting drink in 

 febrile disorders, being sufficiently agreeable to the palate. 



Varieties are as follow: 1. The common or red. 2. The 



green. 3. The small-leaved green, or Sage of Virtue. 4. The 

 broad-leaved, or balsamic. The red is the principal sort in culi- 

 nary use, having the most agreeable and fullest flavour : the 

 green is the next in estimation with the cook ; but the small- 

 leaved is generally preferred to those to eat as a raw herb, and 

 for decoctions ; while the broad-leaved or balsamic kind is 

 most efficacious in a medical way, and is also a tea herb. How- 

 ever, any of the sorts may be occasionally used for those alter- 

 nate purposes. 



Cult. All the varieties may be propagated by slips or cut- 

 tings of the young shoots taken from March to June ; but most 

 successfully in May and June, by detaching the young shoots of 

 the same year. The outward shoots are to be preferred : slip 

 or cut them off 5 or 6 inches long, slipping off" the under leaves, 

 and preserving the top leaves, and water them. They will soon 

 take root freely, especially the young shoots planted in May and 

 June. In the advancing growth, if they spindle up into flower- 

 stalks, pinch or cut that part down ; that the plants may shoot 

 out full and stocky from the bottom in close bushy growth for use 

 the same year. In gathering sage for use, cut or slip off* the 

 young side and top shoots neatly ; and be careful not to strip 

 too close, especially towards winter, and during that season. In 

 July, and the rest of the summer, it is usual to gather some of 

 the young top growth to dry for winter. Keep the plants in re- 

 gular bushy heads, by cutting away disorderly growths, and the 

 decayed flower-stalks in autumn. Keep them clear from weeds ; 

 and sometimes loosen the earth about the plants with a hoe, 

 garden trowel, or small spade, in spring and autumn. Make a 

 fresh plantation once in two, or three, or four years, or as may 

 be necessary by the plants becoming naked, stubby, and dwind- 

 ling. Abercrombie. 



Officinal or Common Sage. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1597. 

 Shrub 1 to 2 feet. 



4 S. CRASSIFOLIA (Desf. arb. 1. p. 134. but not of Smith.) 

 stem shrubby, clothed with white wool ; floriferous branches 

 clothed with tomentose pubescence ; leaves petiolate, ovate, ob- 

 tuse, somewhat cordate at the base, erosely crenated, wrinkled, 

 pubescent : those of the sterile branches undulately curled, and 

 clothed with white wool on both surfaces : lower floral leaves 

 green : upper ones membranous, deciduous ; racemes simple ; 

 whorls many-flowered, distant ; calyx membranous, coloured, 

 striated, pubescent : teeth all lanceolate, acute ; tube of corolla 

 a little exserted ; connective stretched out behind, antheriferous 

 at both ends : hind cells empty, connate. tj . H. Native of the 

 South of Europe. This is probably only a variety of S. offici- 

 nalis, differing in the shape and larger size of the leaves, &c. 



Tfiick-leated Sage. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1804. Shrub 1 to 

 2 feet. 



5 S. GRANDIFLORA (Ettling, salv. no. 2.) stem shrubby, clothed 

 with white wool ; floriferous branches clothed with tomentose 

 pubescence ; leaves entire, petiolate, ovate, acute, broadly 

 rounded at the base, or cordate, wrinkled, pubescent : lower 

 ones woolly beneath : floral leaves herbaceous, or the upper 

 ones are membranaceous at the base, ovate, acute ; racemes 

 nearly simple; whorls 6-10-flowered, distinct; calyx mem- 

 branaceous, coloured, striated, hispid : teeth all acute ; tube of 

 corolla exserted ; connective stretched out behind, antheriferous 

 at both ends : hind cells empty, connate. ^ . H. Native of 

 Tauria, in stony, exposed places on the mountains, and of the 

 Levant. Jacq. fil. eel. fasc. 4. p. 55. t. 36. S. tomentosa, 

 Mill. diet. no. 2. S. officinalis, Pall. ind. taur. p. 134. but not 

 of Lin. S. major, &c. Besl. eyst. ord. 8. fol. 1. f. 11. Leaves 

 3-4 inches long, and I J to 2 broad, green above, and canescent 

 beneath, pubescent on both surfaces, but not woolly. Corollas 

 large, blue. 



4z 2 



