EUPHORBIACEE. 115 
Rhizome slender, white, creeping horizontally. Stems usually solitary 
from the apex of the rhizome, appearing above ground in early spring, 
erect, 9 inches to 2 feet high; the lower internodes distant and with 
very minute leaves, the upper internodes short; all with a raised line on 
each side running from between the stipules to the leaf below. Leaves 
largest above the middle of the stem, when full-grown 2} to 4 inches 
long, including the petiole, which is less than the width of the lamina; 
this is rather thin, varying from ovate to lanceolate or elliptical; 
_ uppermost leaves narrower than the lower ones; all of them rounded 
at the base, acuminated or acute, crenate-serrate. Stipules very minute, 
lanceolate or subulate. Flowers dicecious, produced before the leaves 
are full-grown. Male plant with leafless axillary peduncles from 
the axils of the middle and upper leaves; glomerules occupying the 
upper half of the peduncle; flowers shortly stalked: perianth of 3 
ovate-acuminate concave segments; stamens 9 to 12. Peduncles of 
the racemes of the female plant shorter than in the male, often with 
only a single terminal flower, but sometimes with 2 or 3 rather 
remote ones: each flower distinctly stalked; perianth similar to 
that of the male flowers, with 2 subulate abortive stamens, and a 
2-lobed bristly ovary, terminated by 2 large recurved styles, stigma- 
tiferous on the upper side. Capsule nearly 4 inch long by 2 broad, of 
2 cocca, which split with elasticity. Seeds greyish, pointed or crested 
at the apex, slightly shining, with blunt elevated ridges when young, 
invested by a very thin membrane, which adheres closely to the ripe 
seed. Stem often purplish at the base, thinly hispid; leaves deep green, 
darker coloured and usually narrower in the female plant than in the 
male, turning blue when carelessly dried. 
Perennial Dog's Mercury. 
French, Mercwriale vivace. German, Ausdauerndes Bingelkraut. 
This plant was formerly used in medicine, but has lone been abandoned as a remedy. 
We find it spoken of in the old herbals as possessing wonderful powers. Culpepper 
writes: ‘“ Mercury, they say, owns this herb, but I rather think ’tis Venus, and am 
pretty confident of it too; for I never read that Mercury ever minded women’s busi- 
ness somuch. I believe he minds his study more.” Gerard tells us that ‘“ Costacus, 
in his booke of the ‘ Nature of Plants,’ saith that the juice of mercury, hollyhock, and 
purslane mixed together, and the hands bathed therein, defendeth them from burning, 
if they be thrust into boyling lead.’’ When steeped in water the leaves of the plant 
give out a fine blue colour resembling indigo. This colouring-matter is turned red by 
acids, and destroyed by alkalies, but is otherwise permanent. It might possibly prove 
valuable as a dye, if any means of fixing the colour could be devised. 
SPECIES I—MERCURIALIS ANNUA. Lin. 
Pratts MCCLXIX. MCCLXX. 
Annual. Stem with opposite branches. Leaves shortly stalked, 
ovate or lanceolate or oval-ovate, the lowest ones not much smaller 
than those on the middle of the stem. Male flowers in small glomerules, 
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