CARTOPHYLLACE^. 63 



SPECIES I.-SAP ON ARIA OFFICINALIS. Linn. 



Plate CXCVII. 

 Eeich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. VoL VI. Caryoph. Tab. CCXLV. Fig. 4995. 



Rootstock creeping. Stems erect. Leaves oval or elliptical, 

 3-nerved. Flowers in small corymbose cymes, united into a panicle. 

 Calyx glabrous. Petals -with 2 small scales at tb^ throat. 



On the borders of woods and hedges and by roadsides. Not 

 uncommon ; but probably escaped from cultivation in many local- 

 ities, though apparently native on the coasts of Devon and Cornwall 

 and in North "Wales. 



England, [Scotland,] Ireland ?. Perennial. Autumn. 



B.ootstock thick, white, fleshy, extensively creeping and emitting 

 long stolons and erect flowering stems ; the latter branched in the 

 upper part, from 1-| to 3 feet high, sometimes decumbent at the 

 base. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long, varying from broadly oval to 

 elliptical, decreasing in size and breadth upwards ; all with 3 nerves, 

 and the lowest sometimes with 2 additional nerves at the base. 

 Plowers 1 inch long by 1 inch across, in a compact terminal 

 corymbose cyme, and other lateral cymes with fewer flowers from 

 the axils of the upper leaves. Calyx tube generally tinged with 

 red, sub-cylindiical, umbilicate at the base, with 5 short triangular 

 teeth at the apes, indistinctly ribbed; becoming fusiform as the 

 capsule increases in size. Petals with the claw 4-angled, longer 

 than the calyx tube ; the laminae wedgeshaped-obovate, entire or 

 slightly emarginate, not contiguous, pale lilac, flesh-colom-ed, or 

 nearly white. Capsule often abortive, oblong-ovoid, supported upon 

 a short thick gynophore. Seeds roundish-reniform, slightly com- 

 pressed, covered with small points, with the hilum in the middle 

 of the inner margin. Plant quite glabrous ; leaves very slightly 

 glaucous, soapy to the touch. 



The flowers of this species are very often double, which always 

 attaches a suspicion that such plants are of garden origin. A 

 curious variety, or rather monstrosity (S. hyhrida, Linn.), has been 

 found in Northamptonshire and on the sand-hills to the North of 

 Liverpool, which has some of the upper leaves connate, and the 

 corolla monoj)etalous. 



Common Soapicort, Bruisewort, Fuller^s Herb. 



French, Saponaire Officinale. German, Gebrduchliclies Sei/enkratU. 

 "When boiled or bruised in water the leaves of this plant become saponaceous, 

 and were used in ancient times as a substitute for soap ; especially, it is said, by the 

 mendicant friars. The lather so formed has all the effects of soap, and readily removes 

 grease. Not being affected by acids, it might be usefully employed when the wat^r 

 is hard. The decoction has been employed both in France and Germany as an external 



