166 



NEP 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



NEP 



mallum of Gmelin, Spagnum Arboreum of Hudson, and 

 the Fontinalis Secunda of Withering ; to whose works the 

 reader is referred for the descriptions of this and the two 

 following species. 



2. Neckera Pennata of Hedw^g, is the Hypnum Pennatum 

 of Gmelin. and the Fontinalis Pennata of Withering. 



3. Neckera Pumila of Hedwig, is the Hypnum Pumilum 

 and Dicksoni of Gmelin, and Hypnum Pennatum of Withering 

 and Dickson. Sixteen species are described by Hedwig, 

 five of them British. 



Nectarine. See Amygdalus. 



Nectris; a genus of the class Hexandria, order Digynia. 

 GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix : perianth one-leafed, 

 six-parted; the three outer segments ovate, acute, coloured 

 within; the three inner alternate with these, ovate, blunt, 

 smaller, coloured on both sides. Corolla: none. Stamina: 

 filamenta six, capillary, inserted into the base of the calicine 

 segments; antherae ovate. Pistil: germina two, superior, 1 

 oblong; styles short; stigmas blunt. Pericarp: capsules 

 two, ovate, somewhat fleshy, crowned with the permanent 

 styles, one-celled. Seeds: numerous, very small. ESSEN- 

 TIAL CHARACTER. Calix: one-leafed, six-parted, coloured. 

 Corolla: none. Styles: permanent. Capsules: two, superior, 



ovate, one-celled, many-seeded. The only species is, 



1. Neotris Aquatica. This plant grows in ponds, lakes, 

 and rivers that have not a rapid current, pushing out long, 

 branched, knotted, fistulous stems, with a pair of leaves at 

 each joint. Native of Guiana and the isle of Cayenne. 



Nepenthes ; a genus of the class Dioecia, order Monadelphia. 

 GENERIC CHARACTER. Male. Calix: perianth one- 

 leafed, coriaceous, coloured within, spreading, four-parted; 

 segments roundish, minutely tobthletted, almost equal. Co- 

 rolla: none. Stamina: filamentum one, columnar, cylin- 

 dric, erect, a little shorter than the calix ; antheree many, 

 one-celled, connected into a convex peltate head, concave 

 at the centre, round the upper part of the filamentum, three 

 of them at the top transverse. Female : on a distinct plant. 

 Calix: as in the male, permanent. Corolla: none. Pistil: 

 germen ovate, four-grooved, superior, the length of the calix; 

 style none; stigma large, peltate, four-lobed, hollowed out 

 into four excavations, permanent. Pericarp : capsule oblong, 

 columnar, truncate, crowned with the permanent stigma, 

 quadrangular, the sides grooved, four-celled, four-valved, 

 gaping at the angles; partitions contrary. Seeds: numerous, 

 oval, inclosed in long, membranaceous, angular, arils, acumi- 

 nate at both ends, fastened obliquely to the inner angle of 

 each cell in a double row. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. 

 Male. Calix: four-parted. Corolla: none. Filamentum: 

 one, with many antherce, connected into a peltate head. 

 Female. Calix and Corolla: as in the male. Style: none. 

 Stigma: large, peltate, four-lobed. Capsule: four-celled, 



with many arilled Seeds. The only species known is, 



1 . Nepenthes Distillatoria. This elegant plant rises with 

 a fungose, thick, round stalk; leaves alternate, sessile, wide, 

 oblong, smooth, with a very strong nerve running along the 

 middle, ending in a long tendril generally twisted, to which 

 hangs a receptacle, or long, cylindrical, membranaceous, 

 smooth, hollow bag, which on being pressed, yields about 

 two ounces of a sweet, limpid, pleasant, refreshing liquor, 

 so that six or eight of them are sufficient to slake the thirst 

 of a man. Native of the island of Ceylon. 



Nepeta; a genus of the class Didynamia, order Gymno- 

 spermia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: perianth one- 

 leafed, tubular, cylindric; mouth five-toothed, apute, erect; 

 upper toothlets longer, lower more spreading. Corolla: 

 one-petalled, ringent; tube cylindric, curved inwards; bor- 



der gaping, opening, spreading, cordate, ending in two reflex, 

 blunt, very short segments; upper lip erect, roundish, emar- 

 ginate; lower roundish, concave, larger, entire, crenulaite. 

 Stamina: filamenta four, awl-shaped, beneath the upper lip, 

 approximating, two of them shorter; antherse incumbent. 

 Pistil: germen four-cleft; style filiform, length and situation 

 of the stamina; stigma bifid, acute. Pericarp : none. Calix: 

 straight, containing the seeds in its bosom. Seeds: four, 

 subovate. Observe. If the segments of the throat be num- 

 bered with the lower lip, it will be three-parted. ESSEN- 

 TIAL CHARACTER. Corolla: lower lip with an interme- 

 diate segment, crenate; throat reflex at the edges. Stamina: 

 approximating. All the plants of this genus, except one or 

 two biennials, are hardy herbaceous perennials. If the seeds 

 be permitted to fall, the plants will rise without trouble ; or 

 being sown either in spring or autumn, will come up, and 

 require only to be thinned where they are too close, and kept 

 clean from weeds. Upon a poor dry soil they will not grow 

 too rank, but continue much longer, and appear handsomer 

 than in rich ground, where they grow too luxuriant, and 



have not so strong a scent. The species are, 



1 . Nepeta Cataria ; Common Catmint. Flowers in spikes ; 

 whorls subpedicelled; leaves petioled, cordate, toothserrate. 

 Root perennial, from which arise many branching stalks two 

 feet high ; the spikes, composed of interrupted whorls, termi- 

 nate the stem, and come out in branches from the axils of the 

 leaves ; corolla white, with a tinge of red, and spotted with 

 purple. There is a variety which grows in Italy and the 

 south of France; it is about half the size of the original, 

 and whiter. The whole of this plant has a strong scent 

 between Mint and Pennyroyal. It is called Catmint, because 

 cats are very fond of it, especially when it is withered, when 

 they will roll themselves on it, tear it to pieces, and chew 

 it with great pleasure. Ray observes, that plants which he 

 transplanted from the fields into his garden were always 

 destroyed by the cats, unless he protected them with thorns 

 till they had taken good root and come into flower ; but that 

 they never meddled with the plants raised from seed. Hence 

 the old saying, 



"If you set it, the cats will eat it; 

 If you sow it, the cats don't know it." 



Mr. Miller has confirmed this by his own experience, having 

 frequently set a plant from another part of the garden, within 

 two feet of others which came up from seeds ; when the for- 

 mer was torn in pieces and destroyed by cats, whilst the 

 latter remained unhurt. The true reason of this difference 

 is assigned by Ray; that the cat is fond of it in a languid 

 withering state, or when the peculiar scent of the plant is 

 excited by being handled or bruised in gathering or trans- 

 planting. Withering says, an infusion of the plant is an 

 excellent medicine in suppressions of the menses, so also is 

 the expressed juice, and may be taken to the quantity of 

 two ounces for a dose. Hill prescribes it for nervous dis- 

 orders, and the young tops, made into a conserve, as service- 

 able in that troublesome complaint, the nightmare. Two 

 ounces of the expressed juice is a dose. It is a good female 

 medicine, and may be used with advantage in hysteric and 

 other fits. The infusion moderately promotes the menses 

 when suppressed, and the evacuations after delivery. This 

 plant flowers from July to September, and is a native of most 

 parts of Europe, being found on banks and hedges, and in 

 calcareous soils. The Germans call it Nepte Katzennepte, 

 &c.; the Dutch, Kattekruid, or Nepte; the Danes, Katteurt, 

 or Sisenbrand' t ; the Swedes, Kattmynta; the French, Cha- 

 tairc, Cataire herbe aux Chats; the Italians, Gattaria; the 



