166 SALAD BURNET. 



which was believed to be a vakiable medicine 

 in many complaints. The " cool tankard," 

 too, once so highly enjoyed, was thought to be 

 improved either by Burnet or the still more 

 renowned Borage ; and hence the botanic name 

 of the genus, from poterion^ a drinking-cup. 

 It was formerly sown on dry soils, with Trefoil, 

 as an herbage plant ; and Shakspere refers to 



" The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth 

 The freckled Cowslip, Burnet, and sweet Clover ; " 



but it is not cultivated in the present day. 

 The flowers are of greenish pm^ple, and the 

 upper blossoms in each head have crimson 

 tufted pistils ; while from the lower ones hang 

 numerous delicate thread-like stamens, which 

 render the plant very beautiful. 



We have but one British species of this 

 genus. The plant called Common Burnet 

 {Sanpiisorha officinalis) is, however, very nearly 

 allied to it. Both the folias^e and flower are 

 much larger than those represented by the en- 

 graving, and the heads of blossom are oblong 

 in form, and of a browner hue. It grows, too, 

 on a very different soil, and is not uncommon, 

 from June to September, in moist meadows. 



