FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS 229 
fortia, and a few relatives of these. Our western plains and the drier 
regions of southern Europe and Asia, on the other hand, abound with 
bristly-hairy herbs of the Borage family. In general, they possess 
mucilaginous qualities, and quite a number yield dyes, as the alkanet 
(Alkanna tinctoria). A few are occasionally used as potherbs, like the 
comfrey (Symphytum officinale) or as salads (Borago officinalis). Very 
few can be considered ornamental, with the exception of the heliotropes 
and some species of Myosotis (forget-me-not). Some of the European 
genera, such as the blueweed (Echiwm vulgare) have become extremely 
troublesome weeds in certain parts of our eastern States. The seeds of 
many of these plants are curious, being very hard and stone-like in tex- 
ture, (whence the name Lithospermum, applied to one genus,) and often 
polished white and shining. Fig. 197 shows the fruit of the common 
houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale) which belongs to the class of 
“stick-tights,” being beset with viscid bristles. Fig. 198 is a flowering 
Fic. 198, White Cordia (Cordia alba). Original ; 
reduced one-half. 
branch of the tree Cordia alba, commonly cultivated for ornament in the 
‘West Indies. 
Family Verbenaceae. Verbena Family. These are herbs, shrubs, 
