21 COCHLEABIA ARMORACIA 



lengthening out into racemes, the whole forming a large lax 

 somewhat flat-topped inflorescence ; no bracts. Sepals 4, equal, 

 oval, smooth, blunt, somewhat spreading, purplish. Petals 4, 

 alternate with the sepals and about twice their length, obovate- 

 oblong, entire, usually with a short claw, white. Stamens 6, 

 tetradynamous, filaments about as long as the sepals, anthers 

 yellow. Ovary oblong, 2 -celled, style short, stigma large capi- 

 tate. Fruit (unripe) a small silicle about J inch long, obovoid, 

 somewhat inflated, pericarp thin, faintly veined, dehiscing into 

 2 boat-shaped valves without dorsal nerves. Seeds (not seen 

 fully developed) several in each cell ovoid, smooth ; cotyledons 

 accumbent; no endosperm. 



Habitat. This large and coarse-looking plant is common 

 enough in damp waste ground, river-banks and similar localities 

 throughout this country and the whole of Europe except the 

 most southern parts. It is, however, probably an introduced 

 plant here and in Western Europe generally, its native country 

 being found in Russia ; though it can scarcely be said to be met 

 with anywhere truly wild. Dr. Hooker suggests that it may be 

 a cultivated form of the Hungarian G. macrocarpa, W. & K. 

 It flowers in May and June. The seeds are very rarely perfected, 

 though the pods sometimes grow apparently to their full size ; 

 but the plant is wonderfully persistent from the power which its 

 long branching roots possess of producing adventitious buds, 

 thus rendering it very difficult to extirpate. The root-leaves are 

 frequently found deeply cut in a pinnatisect or bipinnatisect 

 manner with oblong segments. 



Hook, f., Stud. PI., p. 34; Syme, E., Bot., i, p. 183; A. De Car- 

 dolle, in Bot. Gazette, 1851, p. 141; Ledebour, PI. Ross., i, 

 p. 159; Lindl., PI. Med., p. 91. 



Official Part and Name. ARMORACLE RADIX; the fresh root 

 (B. P.). The fresh roots (Armoracia Radix, Horseradish Root) 

 (I. P.) It is not official in the Pharmacopoeia of the United States. 



General Characters and Composition. Fresh horseradish root 



