0291 



CHASTE TREE 



Family: VERBENACEAE. 



Reproductive system: DlDYNAMY, ANGIOSPERMY. 



In the southern provinces, the common chaste tree, Vitex agnus castus, LINN., 

 grows in open ground to a height often or twelve feet. But in the north it will perish if 

 care isn't taken to place it in a suitable location. The stem is straight, bare, and has limp, 

 supple whitish branches at the top. The leaves are petiolate and consist of five or six 

 digitate leaflets that are narrow, pointed, entire, green above and whitish and downy 

 underneath. The flowers, violet, purplish, or white, form spikes at the ends of the 

 branches. The calyx is short, consisting of a single unit with five teeth at the top. The 

 corolla is monopetalous, sort of labiate, tubular at the base and terminates in five lobes, 

 one of which is larger and more rounded. The four didynamous stamens are longer than 

 the corolla and insert at the top of its tube. The ovary is free; it's topped by a style and a 

 bifid stigma. The fruit is a soft drupe containing a pit with four compartments and four 

 seeds. 



FLOWERS: in July and August. 



RANGE: the south of France, in moist environments. 



NOMENCLATURE. German, der keuschbaum, keuschlamm. Dutch, kuischboom. 

 English, the chastetree. Spanish, sauzgatillo. Russian, dikoi perez. Commonly, chaste 

 lamb, pepper tree. 



USES. Athenian women dedicated to the worship of Ceres [Translator's note: the 

 goddess of agriculture and fertility] put branches of this shrub next to themselves during 

 the night, believing that this would help preserve their chastity. 



