The BRITISH HERBAL. 
thence} 
321 
Linneus places this among the hexandria monogynia; the threads in the fower being fix, and the 
2 
ftyle from the rudiment of the fruit fingle. 
By this arrangement he feparates it from moft others of the fame kind { i 
‘ x s nd b laffes ; 
an ori of ae oppofite kind, in refpect of the lefier divifion of genera, he j eatin aes peat Hy 
lilly of the valley, taking away the received name polygonatum, and c th : z 
the name he ufes inftead of the old term //lium convallium. alling all the fpecies convallarias 
The whole habit and general face of the plant diftinguihh it from the lilly of 
: pera ae Bt ok ok  dkcelosveats th F 
alfo confirms this as a generical diftinétion ; being in the So/cmon’s feal ablons; ind ete pores 
valley globular: 
DIVISION IL 
i. Common Solomon’s Seal. 
Polygonatum vulgare: 
The root is thick, and fpreads under the fur- 
face. : ; 
The ftalk is fingle, round, and tolerably up- 
fight; but that it generally toward the top ftoops 
a little: it is not at all branched; its height is a 
foot and half, and the leaves and flowers on it are 
difpofed with great regularity. 
The leaves are oblong, broad, of a beautiful 
green, of a firm fubftance, and marked with large 
ribs, all running lengthwife: thefe generally 
grow on one fide of the ftalk, and the flowers on 
the other. > 
The flowers are fmall, whitifh, with a tinge of 
green on the edge; and they have a little fmell : 
they grow two or three together on long, flender 
footftalks, which rife from the boforns of the 
leaves; and they hang down in a continued 
feries. 
The berries are large; and; when ripe, they 
are red; but birds are fond of them, fo that they 
are rarely feen in this flate: before that time 
they are green and fpotted. 
We have it in fome woods in the north of Eng- 
jand; but it is not common. It flowers in July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Polygonatum latifolium vul- 
gare, Others, Sigilluim Solomonis. 
The root is greatly efteemed as an external re- 
medy for bruifes: 
Internally taken, it is a,very powerful reftrin- 
gent. Iris good againft {pitting of blood, and 
has been known to cure that troublefome diforder 
the fluor albus. The beft way of taking it is in 
form of aconferve, beating up the frefh root with | 
fugar. 
"The colour of the berries varies in this fpecies ; 
fometimes they are only of a bluifh green when 
ripe; and fometimes they are of a deep glofly 
black. ; 
2, Large-flowered Solomon’s Seal. 
Polygonatum flore majore. 
The root is large, ard runs obliquely and ir- 
regularly under the furface. ; 
The ftalk is round, firm, upright, and robutt, 
but not fo tall as in the common kind : it rarely 
exceeds a foot in height, and it does not droop as 
that of the common kind toward the top. 
"Fhe leaves are very broad, oblong, thick, of 
a deep fhining green, and marked with very thick 
and robuft veins, running all lengthwife. 
The flowers rife from the bofoms of the leaves, 
and hang all on one fide of the ftalk: they are 
larger than in the other, and of a pure white : 
N° 32. 
BRITISH SPECIES, 
two or three hang in a clufter from the bofom of 
each leaf; but every one of thefe has its feparate 
footftalk. They have a very fragrant fimell, like 
that of the hawthorn-flower. ; 
' The berries are gréenifh, and fpotted for a lone 
time; but, when ripe, they are black. 
We have it in fome of ovr woods in the nor- 
thern counties; but it is fcarce. It flowers. in 
June, but: the berries are not ripe till about Au- 
guft. é 
C. Bauhine calls it Pohgonatum latifolium flore 
majore odoro. 
Linneus fuppofes it only a variety of the 
former ; but it is altogether diftin&. 
3. Dwarf Solomon’s Sedl. 
Polygonatum bumile anguftiore folio: 
The root is thick, oblong, and white: it runs 
beneath the furface, and has numerous fibres. 
The ftalk is upright, of a pale green; not at 
all branched, and eight inches high. ' 
The leaves are oblong and narrow: they are 
of a yellowifh green, fharp-pointed, and full of 
thick ribs: 
The flowers grow. three on each footftalk, hang- 
ing from the bofoms of the leaves ; and they AG 
fmall, oblong,. and greenifh. 
. The berries; when ripe, are blue. 
It is found in mountainous woods in our nor- 
thern counties. It flowers in July. 
Ray calls it Polygonatum bumile Anglium. 
It is a perfectly diftin&t fpecies from the others; 
though fome have doubted it. ’ 
A: Gredt-léavved Solomon’s Seal. 
Polygonatum hellebori albi folio. 
The root is thick and white. 
The ftalk is firm, upright, not at all brafiched, 
and of a deep red. 
The leaves ftdnd on one fide of the ftalk, as 
in the common kind ; and they are very large : 
they aré broad, fharp-pointed, marked with thick 
ribs, and of a deep green. 
The flowets hang on long footftalks from the 
bofoms of thé leaves: théy are fmall and white ; 
and there ufually are two on each ftalk. 
The berries are large ; and, when they are ripe, 
of a beautiful bright red. 
It is found in our weftern counties, and flowers 
in Augui. 
Ray calls it Polygonatum hellebori albi folio caule 
purpurafcente. : -) : 
The flowers of this have no fmell. 
4N DIVI- 
