172 



NIG 



THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



NIP 



5. Nicotiana Urens; Stinging Tobacco. Leaves cordate, 

 crenate; racemes recurved; stem hisped, stinging. Native of 

 South America. This and the two following species, being 

 somewhat more tender than the others, should be sown early 

 in the spring on a hot-bed : when the plants are come up, 

 transplant them on another moderate hot-bed; water them 

 duly, and give them a large share of air in warm weather ; and 

 when the plants have obtained a good share of strength, 

 transplant them into separate pots, and plunge them into a 

 moderate hot-bed, to bring them forward. About the middle 

 of June, some of the plants may be shaken out of the pots, 

 and planted in beds of rich earth; but it will be proper 

 to keep one or two plants in pots, to be placed in the stove, 

 in case the season should prove bad, that they may ripen 

 their seeds. 



6. Nicotiana Glutinosa; Clammy-leaved Tobacco. Leaves 

 petioled, cordate, quite entire; flowers in racemes, pointing 

 one way, and ringent; stalk round, nearly four feet high, 

 sending out two or three branches from the lower part. 

 Native of Peru. 



7. Nicotiana Pusilla; Primrose-leaved Tobacco. Leaves 

 oblong-oval, radical; flowers in racemes, acute; root pretty 

 thick, and taper, striking deep in the gjound, at the top of it 

 come out six or seven leaves, spreading on the ground, about 

 the size of those of the common Primrose, but of a deeper 

 green; stalk about a foot high. Native of La Vera Cruz. 



8. Nicotiana Quadrivalvis. Leaves oblong-ovate, petio- 

 late; flowers on the top of the branchlets scattered, solitary; 

 corolla funnel-shaped; segments oblong; capsules subglobose, 

 four-valved; colour of the flowers white, with a tinge of blue. 

 The tobacco prepared from it, is .said to be of a superior 

 quality, and the Indians prepare the most delicate sort from 

 the dried flowers. It is cultivated, and also grows sponta- 

 neously, on the Missouri, principally among the Mandan and 

 Ricara nations. 



Nidus Avis. See Ophrys. 



Nigella; a genus of the class Polyandria, order Penta- 

 gynia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: none. Corolla: 

 petals five, ovate, flat, blunt, spreading, more contracted at 

 the base; nectaries eight, placed in a ring, very short; each 

 two-lipped; outer lip larger, lower bifid, flat, convex, marked 

 with, two dots; inner lip shorter, narrower, from ovate end- 

 ing in a line. Stigma: filamenta numerous, awl-shaped, 

 shorter than the petals; anther compressed, blunt, erect. 

 Pistil: germina several, (five or ten,) oblong, convex, com- 

 pressed, erect r ending in styles which are awl-shaped, angular, 

 very long, but revolute, permanent ; stigmas longitudinal, 

 adnate. Pericarp: capsules as many as there are germina, 

 oblong, compressed, acuminate, connected on the inside by the 

 suture, gaping on the inside at top; seeds very many, angular, 

 rugged. Observe. The fifth species has ten pistils, straight, 

 longer than the corolla; seeds membranaceous, margined. The 

 fourth species has also ten pistils, equalling the corolla. 

 ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Calix: none. Petals: five; nec- 

 taries five or more, two-lipped, within the corrolla. Capsules: 

 as many, connected; according to Gsertner, separate, beaked, 

 opening inwards. All the plants of this genus may be propa- 

 gated by sowing their seeds upon a bed of light earth, where 

 they are to remain, for they seldom succeed well if transplanted ; 

 therefore, in order to have them intermixed among other annual 

 flowers, in the borders of the flower-garden, the seed should be 

 sown in patches, at proper distances; and when the plants 

 appear, pull up those which grow too close, leavingbut three or 

 four of them in each patch, observing also to keep them clear 

 from weeds; which is all the culture they require. In July 

 they produce their flowers, and ripen seeds in August, when 



they should be gathered and dried ; then rub out each sort 

 separately, and preserve them in a dry place. The season for 

 sowing these seeds is in March; but if you sow some of them 

 in August, soon afer they are ripe, upon a dry soil, and in a 

 warm situation, they will abide through the winter, and flower 

 strong through the succeeding year; by sowing the seeds at 

 different times, they may be continued in beauty most part 

 of the summer. The varieties with double flowers, are chiefly 

 sown in flower-gardens ; those with single flowers are rarely 

 admitted into any but botanic gardens. They are all annual 

 plants, perishing soon after they have perfected their seeds ; 

 which, if permitted to scatter upon the borders, will come up 



without any further care. The species are, 



* With five Styles. 



1. Nigella Damascena; Common Fennel Flower. Flowers 

 surrounded with a leafy involucre. Stalk upright, branching, 

 a foot and half high ; colour of the flowers pale blue. There 

 is a variety with single white flowers, and another with double 

 flowers, which is frequently sown in gardens, along with other 

 annuals, for an ornament. From the fine-cut leaves about the 

 flowers, it has the names of Fertnel-flower, Devil-in-a-bush, 

 and Love-in-a-mist, but the first has become obsolete. The 

 expressed juice of this plant is excellent for the head-ache, 

 for which purpose it is to be snuffed up the nose; it excites 

 sneezing, and a considerable discharge of mucus and watery 

 humours from the head; taken inwardly, it increases the 

 urinary secretion, and relieves the jaundice. Native of corn- 

 fields in the South of Europe. 



2. Nigella Saliva ; Small Fennel Flower. Pistils five : oap- 

 sules muricated, roundish; leaves somewhat hairy. This rises 

 to the same height as the preceding. Its seeds were formerly 

 much used as carminative, stimulant, and errhine ; but though 

 they are no longer employed medicinally, they are still used, 

 in some parts of Germany and Asia, for culinary purposes 

 instead of spice, as they are pleasantly aromatic. It flowers 

 from June to September. Native of Candia and Egypt.' 



3. Nigella Arvensis; Field Fennel Flower. Pistils five; 

 petals entire ; capsules turbinate. Stalks slender, nearly a foot 

 high, either single or branching out at the bottom; each 

 branch is terminated by one star-pointed flower of a pale blue 

 colour, without any leafy involucre. There is a variety with 

 white flowers, and another with double flowers ; they appear 

 from June to September. Native of Germany, France, Italy, 

 Carniola, and Switzerland. 



** With ten Styles. 



4. Nigella Hispanica; Spanish Fennel Flower. Pistils 

 ten, equalling the corolla; stalk a foot and half high. The 

 flowers are larger than those of the other species, and of a 

 fine blue colour, with green veins at the back. There is a 

 variety of it with double flowers. It flowers from June to 

 September. Native of Spain and the south of France. 



5. Nigella Orientalis ; Yellow Fennel Floiver. Pistils ten. 

 longer than the corolla ; stalk branching, a foot and half high, 

 with pretty long leaves, finely divided. The flowers are pro- 

 duced at the ends of the branches. It flowers from July to 

 September. Native of corn-fields in Syria. 



Nightshade. See Solanum. 



Nightshade, Deadly. See Atropa. 



Nightshade, Enchanter's. See Circ^aa. 



Nightshade, Malabar. See Basella. 



Nipa; a genus of the class Monoecia, order Monadelphia. 

 GENERIC CHARACTER. Male Flowers: lateral, below 

 the females, on the same plant. Calix: spathcs oblong, con- 

 cave, acuminate, coriaceous; outer larger, innei gradualyl 

 inclosing; perianth proper none. Corolla: petals six, Jinear, 

 equal, from spreading reflex. Stamina: filamentum one, 



