76 The 
BRITISH HERBAL 
and divided into five fegments; thefe, toward 
evening, clofe, and the fower has the look of a 
“ jittle arrow head of a pentagonal form: from 
this fhape and its colour fome have called this the 
pentagonal violet. 
The feed-veffel is long, and has fharp edges: 
the feeds are numerous and {mall. 
It is common in the corn-fields of the north of 
Ireland, but not in England. It flowers in July. 
C, Bauhine calls it Oxobrychis arvenfis five cam- 
panula arvenfis ercfia. J. Bauhine, Avicularia 
Sylvii. 
2. Little Venus’ Looking-glafs. 
Speculum Veneris minus. 
The root is {mall, long, white, woody, and 
furnifhed with numerous fibres. 
The ftalk is hollow, tender, ftriated, and com- 
monly three or four inches only in height, but in 
places where it is well nourifhed it will rife to a 
DPV ES TON. I- 
1. Great flowered Venus’ Looking-glafs. 
Speculum Veneris magno flore. 
The root is fmall, white, long, and woody. 
The ftalks are numerous, weak, branched, and 
five or fix inches high. 
The leaves are numerous, oblong, and with- 
out footftalks: thofe toward the lower part of the 
ftalk are longer and more obtufe ; thofe toward 
the upper part, fmaller and fharper at the point. 
The flowers are very large, and of a beautiful 
pale purple, with a white eye in the centre, 
and fome blue about it: they are divided into 
five fegments, and are hollow. 
The feed-veffel is long and angulated; and the 
_ feeds are large, fhining and brown. 
It is a native of Thrace, and flowers in June. 
Ray calls it Speculum Veneris flore ampliffimo 
Thracicum. 
2. Perfoliate Venus’ Looking-elafs, 
Speculum Veneris perfoliatum. 
The root is long, lender, fibrous, and white. 
The ftalks are numerous, and tolerably ere¢t : 
Greek 
iF awa N ontpds 
foot; fo that, although called the leffer fpecies, 
it is in this cafe taller than the other, but it is 
{carce at all branched. 
The leaves are little, and have no footftalks : 
they are fhort and broad, obtufe at the ends, and 
waved, or, as it were, curled at the edges. 
The flowers ftand at the top of the ftalk, and 
on fhort footftalks rifing from the bofoms of the 
leaves, one flower on each. 
They are fmall, of a bright purple colour, 
and ftand upon the rudiment of the pod or feed- 
veffel. 
When they are fallen this fwells and lengthens, 
and becomes a long capfule, refembling a pod, 
ridged, and fharp at the edges, and contains a 
great deal of minute feeds. 
Ray calls it Campanula arvenfis erefta vel fpecu- 
lum Veneris minus: 
It is not uncommon in our corn-fields in Suf- 
fex and fome other counties; and flowers in 
June. 
BLO RE LEGN SPE CLE St 
they are round, thick, of a whitifh colour, and 
a little hoary. 
The leaves are broad and fhort: they ftand 
irregularly, and furround the ftalk at the bafe ; 
fo that it feems to grow through them. 
The flowers are large, and of a pale but 
beautiful red: they are deeply divided into five 
fegments, and they ftand on the tops of the ftalks, 
and on fhort pedicles rifing from the bofoms of 
the leaves. 
The feed-veffel is long, and angulated ; and 
the feed moderately large, and of a glofly furface. 
It is a native of Virginia, and flowers in June, 
Morifon calls it Campanula pentagonia perfoliata. 
The Venus looking-glafs agrees with the bell- 
flowers and rampions in its qualities. 
The larger kind, which is very common in the 
corn-fields of France, is one of their favourite 
fallad herbs. They gather the firft leaves and 
eat them in the fpring. The common fallading, 
known among them by the name of queue de 
Pevefque, is the firft fhoot of this plant: befide 
its agreeable tafte, it is fuppofed to be a good 
antifcorbutick, 
XIV. 
BT NON Bey, 
HE flower confifts of a fingle petal, hollow, open, divided i 
refembling the Campanula: the fruit. is of an oval form, 
with its peculiar Cup : it is ina manner of the berry kind, but n 
The cup is double; there is one for the fruit juft named, a 
the fruit is compofed of four leaves, 
fits of a fingle leaf, divided into five fegments, 
Gronoyius eftablithed this genus, and named it in 
character be new, the reft is familiarly known. 
defcribed by Bauhine, Gerard, Parkinfon, 
two of which are taller than the others, 
Tuit. : ; 
two of which are fmaller, two larger: 
and the feeds being covered: there is 
nto five feoments at the edge, and 
divided into two cells, and covered 
Ot juicy. ; 
nd another for the flower: the cup of 
the cup of the flower con- 
honour of Linnzus; but though the name and 
There is but one fpecies of it; and that is the plant 
and the reft, under the n f - 
Linnzeus. places the genus among his diyyamia angi sine wane 
Lflower. 
é flower, 
one only in each 
ofpermias; there being four threads in th 
x Linnga. 
