BRAMBLE. 87 



disposed in long, narrow panicles. The calyx consists of five, 

 short, woolly, reflexed segments. The petals are obovate, 

 spreading, delicate, and crumpled, of a light pink colour, some- 

 times white. The stamens are nmitierous, inserted on the calyx, 

 with slender filaments, shorter than the petals ; the anthers are 

 globose, compressed, two-lobed, and two-celled, bursting longi- 

 tudinally. The germens are numerous, superior, one-celled ; the 

 styles small, hair-like, lateral ; the stigmas simple and persistent. 

 The fruit is nearly globular and of a purplish black colour, 

 composed of numerous, close, juicy drupes, placed upon a pro- 

 tuberant, spongy receptacle. The seeds are small, solitary, 

 oblong. Plate 5, fig. 4, (a) stamen ; (b) pistil. 



This sturdy shrub *, common in every hedge in this country, 

 occurs as far north as Sweden. It flowers in July and August, 

 and the fruit ripens in September. 



The name is supposed to be derived from the Latin ruber or 

 the Celtic rud, red. 



Qualities and general Uses. — The bramble is applied to 

 several economical purposes. It is useful in forming hedges. 

 The shoots are very tough, and are employed by thatchers for 

 binding their roofs, and by straw-hive and mat makers. The 

 well known fruit is made into pies and puddings by the cottager. 

 The berries, eaten at the moment they are ripe, are cooling and 

 grateful ; a little before, they are coarse and astringent ; and a 

 little after disagreeably flavoured or putrid f. The injurious 

 effects attributed to them, when eaten plentifully by children 

 are probably owing to the latter circumstance. Ray mentions 

 that a good and pleasant wine has been made with the juice, 

 which possesses considerable strength and a pleasant flavour. 

 Some of the muscadine wines of France are coloured with the 

 fruit. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — This plant is introduced for 

 the reasons mentioned at page 8 1 , and because it may be worth 

 while to ascertain how far it merits the character so confidently 

 given to it by the old physicians, viz. : that of a powerful as- 



* The genus is remarkable for the manner in which its stems vegetate — 

 the root sends out suckers or stoloues which curve downwards to the earth, 

 and take root at the end. In the winter the shoot is partly destroyed, but 

 produces blossoms and fruit the ensuing summei-, and then dies. 



f Loudon's Encyclopaedia of Plants, p, 452. 



