SCROPIIULAIIIACE^. 173 



The evening star much sooner would go down 

 And all the fields in dewy nectar drown. 

 You know A mold us (if you've read him o'er) 

 Did sight by me to men stone-blind restore ; 

 'Tis true, and my known virtue ought to be 

 The more esteem'd for that strange prodigy." 



Modern science tells us that the whole herb is slightly astringent, and has a bitter 

 flavour, but its medicinal properties are very insignificant, and its use as an eye-wash 

 is only retained by the peasantry in some remote country districts. Its use in diseases 

 of the eye probably originated in the doctrine of signs, the brilliant white of its flowers 

 indicating its efficacy in improving the sight. Gerarde tells us that " Eyebright 

 stamped aud laid upon the eyes, or the juice thereof mixed with white wine and 

 dropped into the eyes, or the distilled water, taketh away the darknesse and dimnesse 

 of the eyes, and cleareth the sight." 



GENUS ZI.—B A R T S I A. Linn. 



Calyx tubular or bellshaped, not inflated, 4-cleft. Corolla 

 tubular and bilabiate ; tbe upper lip rather broad, erect, concave, 

 entire or emarginate, but without spreading lobes ; lower lip 

 3-lobed, with the lobes entire, sub-erect or erect-spreading ; palate 

 generally convex, without plaits or with 2 bosses. Stamens 1, 

 didynamous, placed under the upper lip of the corolla, included or 

 exserted ; anthers 2-celled, with the lobes all equally mucronate. 

 Capsule globose- or oblong-ovoid, scarcely or only slightly com- 

 pressed, pointed or (more rarely) obtuse or emarginate, opening 

 loculicidally by 2 valves. Seeds numerous, of various size. 



Annuals or perennials, only distinguishable from the species of 

 Euphrasia by the upper lip of the corolla being entire or nearly so ; 

 indeed there can be very little doubt that the genera Euphrasia 

 and Bartsia ought to be united : E. minima (Schleid.) has a 

 corolla scarcely differing from that of Bartsia. 



This genus of plants was named by Linnasus after his friend Dr. John Bartsch, 

 of Kiiuigsberg, a very promising young naturalist, who perished whilst pursuing his 

 studies at Surinam, whither he was sent by the illustrious Boerhaave. 



Sub-Genus I.— ODONTITES. Sailer, Pers. 



Capsule ovate or oblong, compressed, obtuse. Seeds minute 

 with longitudinal ridges. 



