BVCKBEAN. 



105 



foot in lieiglit. The leaves are radical, consisting of thtee 

 smooth, obovate, obtuse, entire, bright green leaflets, somewhat 

 undulated at the margin, and stand on a very long petiole, 

 shorter than the flowering stem. The flowers grow in a com- 

 pound racen^e or thyrse, at the extremity of a scape which issues 

 from the sheathing base of the leaves ; each flower supported 

 on a pedicel, with a small, ovate, acute bractea at the base. 

 The calyx is smooth, divided into five deep, ovate segments. 

 The corolla is funnel-shaped, longer than the calyx, with a 

 spreading limb composed of five ovate-lanceolate, acute seg- 

 ments, which are white, fringed internally with beautiful fila- 

 ments, and tipped with rose colour. The five stamens have 

 awl-shaped filaments, alternate with five hypogynous glands, 

 and support sagittate anthers of a brownish yellow colour. 

 The germen is oval, surmounted by a simple style, longer than 

 the stamen, and a capitate stigma, furrowed externally. The 

 capsule is oval, furrowed, one-celled, two-valved ; the valves 

 bearing the seed in their axis. The seeds are globose, or some- 

 what lenticular, smooth, shining, and of a pale yellow colour. 

 Plate 7, fig. 4. («) the corolla opened to show the stamens ; 

 (6) the fruit. 



This most elegant plant is frequent in marshes and watery 

 meadows, and on the margins of ponds and brooks. It may 

 vie with many choice exotics in beauty, and if less abundant and 

 not indigenous, would be assiduously cultivated. The flowers 

 appear from the middle of June to the end of July. It is a 

 denizen of the greater part of Europe, as far north as the 

 inhospitable regions of Lapland, and in North America it occurs 

 under equally diverse latitudes. 



The generic name, is supposed to be derived from ju.r,"';, a 

 month, and av5of, afloner, because it continues in flower about 

 a month. It is called trifoliata, from the similarity of its three 

 leaflets to those of trefoil. They were also considered to re- 

 semble those of the common garden bean; hence, the vernacu- 

 lar names Buckbean, and Bogbean. The term Buckbean is 

 probably an alteration of the old English hech, a brook, or wa- 

 tery place ; or of the French houc, a he-goat ; the plant being 

 eaten by goats. 



Qualities and general Usks — The Buckbean has no smell, 

 but develops an intense bitterness, which it imparts both to al- 



