HEDGE-MUSTARD. 375 



scabrous beneath, deeply divided on both sides into two or three 

 oblong, tooth-serrate lobes, the terminal one very large, roundish 

 in the lower leaves, and oblong in the upper. The flowers are 

 disposed in long terminal, spike-like racemes ; the pedicels very 

 short and erect. The calyx is very small, composed of four 

 oblong, concave, spreading, deciduous sepals. The four petals 

 are very small, pale yellow, oblong, obtuse, unguiculate, entire. 

 The stamens are six, tetradynamous, with subulate, erect fila- 

 ments, and cordate anthers. The germen is linear, sessile, with 

 a very short style, and a clavate, emarginate stigma. The 

 silique, or pod, is erect, close-pressed to the main stem, roundish, 

 subulate, with concave valves, and a membranous, bilocular 

 dissepiment. The seeds are small, oblong, dingy yellow, and 

 arranged in a single row. Plate 23, fig. 3, (a) radical leaf; 

 (i) calyx ; (c) petal ; (d) stamens. 



This plant grows by way-sides and hedges among rubbish, 

 in this country, and in nearly all Europe, flowering from June 

 lo August. 



Sisymbrium was the name given by the Greeks to a species 

 of mint, or some mint-like plant, while this species was called 

 by them sp'jo-iu.ov. It has received the several provincial names 

 of Bank-cresses, Scrambling Rocket, and Worm-seed. 



Qualities and general Uses. — Hedge-Mustard has been 

 used as an early pot-herb, but it has not much to recommend 

 it. It is relished by sheep and goats, but horses, cows, and 

 swine refuse it. 



The herb is almost inodorous, with a slight acrid, warm 

 flavour, resembling that of nasturtium. " The seeds are pun- 

 gent, and their acrimony like that of mustard-seed is wholly 

 extracted by water, and partially by alcohol, and strongly im- 

 pregnates water in distillation." 



Medicinal Properties and Uses. — Dioscorides * recommends 

 the seeds of this plant taken in honey for diseases of the chest, 

 purulent spittings, coughs, and jaundice, also as an external 

 application to cancers, tumours, &c. The herb has been most 

 celebrated for its incisive and expectorant properties f ; hence 



* Mat. Med. Ub. ii.cap. 188. 



■|- As a proof of the penetrating qualities of this plant, it has been as- 

 serted that its peculiar flavour is perceived in the expectorated matter. 



