5'6 



E RI 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



ERI 



many side-branches llie whole length. The leaves are woolly, 

 coming out in clusters, some taper and entire, others divided 

 into three or five parts, which spread open like a hand ; when 

 bruised, they emit a strong smell, approaching to that of La- 

 vender Cotton, but not quite so rank. The flowers are pro- 

 duced in small clusters at the ends of the branches, and stand 

 erect. They appear in autumn, but do not produce seeds in 

 this country. It flowers from January to March, and is a na- 

 tive of the Cape of Good Hope. This plant is propagated by 

 cuttings, which may be planted any time from May to the mid- 

 dle of August ; for if they be planted later in the season, there 

 will not be sufficient time for them to get good root before the 

 winter : these cuttings should be planted in small pots filled 

 with light earth, and plunged into a very moderate hot-bed, 

 where they should be shaded from the sun till they have 

 taken root; they must also be refreshed with water twice or 

 thrice a week, but they should not have too much at a time, for 

 much moisture is very hurtful to these plants. As soon as 

 the cuttings have taken root, they should be gradually inured 

 to the open air, to prevent their shoots from being drawn up 

 weak ; afterwards they should be removed into the open air, 

 and placed in a sheltered situation, where they may remain till 

 October, when they must be placed in an airy glass-case, that 

 they may have as much sun as possible, and enjoy the free air 

 in mild weather, but be at the same time secured from frost 

 and damp air, either of which will soon destroy them. Dur- 

 ing the winter, they must be sparingly watered, for the reason 

 before given ; but in the summer, when the plants are placed 

 in the open air, they will require frequent refreshment with 

 water in hot weather. Both this and the next species retain 

 their leaves all the year, and are therefore a valuable addition 

 to the variety of exotics in the winter season. 



2. Eriocephalus Racemosus ; Silvery-leaved Eriocephalus. 

 Leaves linear, undivided ; flowers racemed. It has the sta- 

 ture and appearance of the preceding species, but all the 

 leaves are undivided ; flowers on pedicels shorter than the 

 calix ; outer scales of the calix four, ovate, subtomentose, 

 with a very soft wool from the bosom of them. Native of 

 the Cape of Good Hope. 



Eriophorum ; a genus of the class Triandria, order Mono- 

 gynia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: spike on all sides 

 imbricate; scales ovate-oblong, flat-inflected, membrana- 

 ceous, loose, sharp-pointed, separating the flowers. Corolla : 

 none. Stamina: filaraenta three, capillary; antherte upright, 

 oblong. Pistil: germen very small; style filiform, length of 

 the calicine scales ; stigmas three, longer than the style, bent 

 backwards. Pericarp : none. Seed: three-sided, acuminate, 

 furnished with villose hairs longer than the spike. Observe. 

 Some species are polygamous. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. 

 Glumes chaffy, imbricate every way. Corolla: none. Seed: 

 one, surrounded with a very long wool. This genus con- 

 sists of bog plants, and are seldom preserved in gardens. 

 They may, however, be planted in pots filled with bog earth, 

 set in pa'ns wherein water is constantly kept; or by the side 

 of ponds or other waters. The species are, 



1. Eriophorum Vaginatum ; Mountain or Single-spiked 

 Cotton Grass. Culms sheathed round; spike scariose ; root- 

 leaves obscurely three-cornered, sharp, streaked on two sides ; 

 convex on one side, flat on two sides. Scape twice as long 

 as the leaves, flattish on one side, streaked ; stem-leaves awn- 

 less, sheathing, (sheath swelling a little,) the uppermost pur- 

 ple at the base. Ray calls tins plant Hare's-tail Rtt&h, and in 

 Westmoreland it is named Moss-Crops ; which is also applied 

 to the third species, as they do not distinguish between them. 

 Sheep are very fond of both, from which they derive this 

 common name. Native of bogs in cold barren situations, in 



various parts of Europe. It is not very general in England ; 

 but is found on Shirley common, near Croydon ; near Lynn; 

 on Birmingham heath ; and is often met with in all the 

 northern counties ; upon Elsemere meers in Shropshire ; and 

 on Pillin moss in Lancashire. 



2. Eriophorum Polystachion ; Many-spiked Cotton Grass. 

 Culms columnar; leaves flat ; spikes peduncled. Native of 

 the Cape of Good Hope. 



3. Eriophorum Angustifolium ; Narrow-leaved Cotton Grass. 

 Culms columnar; leaves channelled, three-sided; spikes pe- 

 duncled. Stem from nine inches to a foot or more in height, 

 upright, smooth, with two joints projecting- a little, covered 

 throughout its whole length with the sheaths of the leaves. 

 Thost next the root are of a chestnut colour, short, lance- 

 olate, streaked, marked with transverse lines, which give them 

 a reticulated appearance ; floral leaves three or four, of un- 

 equal lengths, forming sheaths at bottom, terminate the stalk, 

 from the axils of which the spikelets proceed. In Germany, 

 and the more northern parts of Europe, the down of this 

 plant has been manufactured into various articles of dress, 

 paper, and wicks for candles. In some parts of Sweden, the 

 peasants stuff their pillows with it, whence it is called poor 

 man's pillow. It becomes brittle when quite dry. Early in the 

 spring, cattle crop the leaves before the grasses are sufficiently 

 grown. Common on moors and boggy ground; insomuch 

 that they are often white all over with it, in June and July, 

 when it is in seed. It flowers in April and May. 



4. Eriophorum Virginicum. Culms leafy, columnar; leaves 

 flat; spikes upright, compact, leafy, large, brown, or gold- 

 coloured. Native of Virginia. 



5. Eriophorum Cyperinum. Culms columnar, leafy ; pani- 

 cle superdecompound, proliferous ; spicules mostly in threes. 

 Native of North America. 



6. Eriophorum Alpinum. Culms naked, three-cornered ; 

 spike shorter than the down. Thick tufts of culms aud leaves 

 rise from the root; spikelets erect, having no sheaths: the 

 least of all the species, swelling only one or two lines in 

 length, pale, yellowish brown, with white hairs much longer 

 than the spikelet, which is made up of lanceolate, acuminate, 

 imbricate glumes, the lowest longer and broader than the 

 rest, divided by a nerve that stands out, and is extended into 

 a point ; seed very small, yellowish. Native of the moun- 

 tains of Lapland, Sweden, Denmark, Silesia, Carniola, Swit- 

 zerland. It flowers in June and July. It was found iu a moss, 

 about three miles east of Forfar, Angusshire, Scotland. 



Erithalis; a genus of the class Pentandria, order Monogy- 

 nia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: perianth one-leafed, 

 superior, pitcher-form, five-toothed, permanent. Corolla: 

 one-petalled, five-parted; tube very short; divisions lance- 

 shaped, long, bent back. Stamina: filamenta five, subu- 

 late, patulous, scarcely the length of the corolla; antlierse 

 oblong, linear, erect. Pistil: germen inferior, roundish; 

 style filiform, compressed above, length of the stamina ; 

 stigma sharp. Pericarp: berry globose, crowned, ten- 

 celled. Seeds: small. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Corolla: 

 five-parted, with the divisions bent back. Calix: pitcher- 

 shaped. Berry: ten-celled, inferior. The species arc, 



1. Erithalis Fruticosa. Leaves opposite; corymbs com- 

 pound. This is an upright elegant branching tree, fifteen 

 feet in height; racemes compound, corymbed, axillary, op- 

 posite; flowers numerous, caducous, with white petals, mostly 

 six-stanimed, with a six-cleft calix and corolla, smelling 

 exactly like the common Syringa. Native of Jamaica and 

 Martinico. Jacquin describes another plant, which is a na- 

 tive of Curasao, and probably only a variety of this species, 

 arising from its growing in the clefts of rocks, where there i* 





