THE BORAGE FAMILY 335 



leaves, which are usually covered with hairs or Dristles rising from a 

 swollen base. This character was considered by Linnaus suffi- 

 ciently constant to give to the Order the name Asperifolia; or 

 Rough-leaved plants ; but the present name of the Order is 

 preferable as being more comprehensive, a few species in it 

 having perfectly smooth leaves. Most members of the Order 

 bear their flowers in rolled up, scorpioid racemes, a few expanding 

 at a time. The calyx is inferior, deeply 5-, or rarely 4-cleft, 

 and persistent ; the corolla hypogynous, 5-, or rarely 4-cleft, 

 frequently having teeth at the mouth of the tube, and most com- 

 monly blue or purple. Iilany, when first opening, however, are of 

 a pink hue, which subsequently deepens, so that it is not unusual 

 to see flowers of different tints in the sam,e cluster. The stamens 

 are 5, inserted on the corolla and alternate with its lobes ; the 

 carpels 2, forming a 4-parted, 4-seeded ovary, with a single, gyno- 

 basic style ; and the fruit a regma of 4, rarely 2, one-seeded 

 nutlets. They possess no remarkable properties, but abound in a 

 soft alkaline mucilage, which gives a coolness to beverages in 

 which they are steeped, on which account Borage is an ingredient 

 in claret-cup. The roots of Alkanet and some others contain 

 a red substance which is used as a dye. Myosoiis pali/stns, the 

 J'ergiss-iiieiii-mchi of German romance, has now obtained the 

 English name "Forget-me-not," formerly applied for very 

 unromantic reasons to Ajuga Chamccpitys. 



I. Cynoglossum. — Calyx 5-cleft ; corolla polysymmetric, 

 funnel-shaped, its mouth closed by prominent blunt scales : 

 nutlets with hooked bristles. 



*2. AsPERUGO. — Calyx with 5 leafy lobes and smaller alternate 

 teeth ; corolla polysymmetric, funnel-shaped, with rounded scales 

 in the throat ; nutlets flattened, tubercled. 



3. Sv.MPHVTUli.- Calvx deeply 5-cleft ; corolla polysymmetric, 

 bell-shaped, closed with 5 awl-shaped scales ; stamens short, 

 included. 



4. BoRAGO. — Calvx deeply 5-cleft : corolla rotate, its throat 

 closed with 5 short, erect, notched scales ; filaments forked ; 

 anthers prominent, converging in a cone.: 



5. AxcHUSA.- Calyx deepiv 5-cleft : corolla salver-shaped, with 

 a straight tube, its throat closed !))■ prominent blunt scales ; 

 stamens included. 



6. LvcoFSis. — Calyx deeply 5-cleft ; corolla oblique, funnel- 

 shaped, with a bent tube : otherwise like Anchiisa. 



7. PuLiiONARiA. — Calyx-tube long, 5-cleft ; corolla salver- 

 shaped, polysymmetric, its throat naked ; stamens included ; 

 nutlets smooth. 



