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132 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



at maturity; segments coloured, deciduous, 4, in a single row. 

 Petals none. Stamens 4, inserted in the throat of the calyx, 

 much exserted. Ovary solitary, or rarely 2, with a terminal 

 style. Stigma dilated, papUlose or fimbriate. Achene solitary, 

 enclosed in the calyx-tube. 



Perennial herbs, VQty rarely annuals, with interruptedly-pinnate 

 leaves and leaf-like stipules adnate to the petiole. Plowers pur- 

 plish, olive, or white, in dense terminal spikes. 



The generic oame of these plants comes from the two words sanguis, blood, and 

 sorbere, to absorb, from the supposed vulnerary properties of the species. 



SPECIES L— SANGUISORBA OFFICINALIS. Linn. 



Plate CCCCXXI. 

 Stem erect, slightly branched, leaves pinnate; leaflets stalked, 

 ovate or oblong-oval, sub-cordate at the base, inciso-serrate. 

 Flower-heads erect, dark purple, ovoid. Stamens as long as the 

 calyx. Plant glabrous. 



In damp meadows. Rare except in the midland and northern 

 counties of England, not extending North of the counties of Berwick 

 and Kirkcudbright. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer and Autumn. 



Rootstock somewhat woody, rather thick, slightly branched, 

 1-^ to 4 feet high, producing tufts of radical leaves and solitary 

 flowering-stems. Leaves witli an odd terminal leaflet, 4 to 6 pair 

 of pinnae, which increase a little in size towards tlie apex of the 

 leaf, where they are from ^ to 2 inches long. Lower stipules wholly 

 adnate, scarious; those of the upper leaves with a semi-lunate 

 denticulated free harbaceous poi-tion : in luxuriant specimens the 

 separate leaflets have frequently small rhomboidal denticulated 

 stipels. Elower-heads varying from nearly globose to cylindrical- 

 ovoid, ^ to 1-| inch long. Calyx-tube Avith 4 winged angles; 

 segments spreading, ovate, dark-purple, petaloid. Achene pointed 

 at both ends, brownish, smooth and slightly shining, closely 

 invested by the hardened tube of the calyx. Leaves deep-green, 

 paler and glaucous beneath. 



Great Burnet. 



French, Sanguisorbe Officinale. German, Gemeiner Wiesenknopf. 



This plant is cultivated to a considerable extent in Germany for fodder, and has 

 been grown here with that view ; but it is not a favourite with English farmers. It was 

 formerly in much repute as a vulnerary, and we read that " Burnet is a singular good 

 herb for wounds ; it Btancheth bleeding, and therefore was named sanguisorba, as well 



