128 DECANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. Lychnis. 



Per. April. 



Root with many fleshy, reddish scales. Ls. long-stalked, droop- 

 ing at night, acid, often pui'plish beneath. Fl.-stalk, purplish. 

 Pet. white, purple-veined, yellow at the base, adhering by a 

 small glandular swelling on each side. 



A pretty plant with large delicate fl. Ls. of bright verdure. 

 Caps, dart forth their seeds on the slightest touch, by the elastic 

 seed-coat. Infusion of the Is. pleasant refrigerant in fever. 

 From the Is. boiled with milk, an agreeable whey. The expressed 

 juice evaporated affords a crystalline acid salt, (oxalic acid, as 

 binoxalate of potash,) sold under the name of Salt of Lemons. 

 Application to scrophulous ulcers. Ls. sensitive, when struck, 

 or handled, droop. 



AGROSTEMMA.' Cockle.^ 



A. Githago.^ Corn C. Hairy, calyx teeth rising above 

 the corolla. Petals undivided, without teeth. E. B. 

 741. C. 3. 27. Pseudomelanthium. G. E. IO87. 



Cornfields. 



An. July. 



Plant rough, hairs upright. Stem two or three f., branched, leafy, 

 round. Ls. opposite, linear-spear-shaped. Fl. terminal, long- 

 stalked, solitary, large, showy, purple, with bluish streaks. 



Seeds black, elegantly rough. 



An ornamental weed, on a level with the ripening corn, to be 

 plucked up before flowering. 



LYCHNIS. Lychnis, or Campion. 



L. Flos Cuculi. Meadow L. Ragged Robin. Petals 

 each in three, or mostly four linear segments. Capsule 

 roundish, of one cell. Stem rough with bristles bent 

 back. E. B. 573. C. 1. 33. Armoraria pratensis 

 mas. G. E. 600. 



Moist meadows. 



Per. June. 



Stem erect, one or two f , angular, leafy, upper part clammy. Ls. 

 united at their insertion, spear-shaped, nearly smooth. FL 

 panicle forked, erect. Bract, two at each subdivision. Cal.- 

 ribs ten, dark purple. Pet. rose-coloured, limber, crowned with 

 two sharp, erect teeth above the claw. 

 Fl. of this plant extremely pretty. 

 Var. in gardens, _^. double. 



L. dioica. Redy or White Campion. Flowers dioecious. 



' Agrou, and stemmn, Gr. crown or chaplet of the fields. 

 - Ang. Sax. ^ Gith, name for black seed, in Celtic. 



