i. 



scrophulariaceX 



521 



D. purpurea, Zinn.-^Segments of the calyx ovate, acute ; corolla obtuse, upper lip 

 scarcely divided ;. leaves ovate, lanceolate, crenate, downy. 



Linn., Sp. PL 868; Woodville, t. 24; Flor, Med. iii. 151; Stephenson 

 #pd Churchill, i. 18; Lindley, Flor. Med. 502. 



Commm Names. — Fox-glove ; Finger flower. 



Foreign Names. — Digitale pourpre, Fr.; Guantelli, It.; Der gemeine 

 finger hut, Ger. 



Stem round, erect, downy, about three or four 



Description. — Root biennial, whitish, 

 feet in height. The lower leaves 

 are large, ovate, acuminate, on 

 short, winged petioles, and spread- 

 ing on the ground ; the cauline 

 ones are alternate, elliptical-oblong, 

 somewhat decurrent, and both are 

 tomentose, wrinkled, crenated, and 

 of a dull-green colour above, paler 

 beneath. The flowers are numerous, 

 on short peduncles, drooping, of a 

 reddish or purple colour, and are 

 arranged in a long terminal spike. 

 The calyx is divided into five acute 

 segments, of which the uppermost 

 is the narrowest. The corolla is 

 bell-shaped, hairy, spotted within, 

 inflated on the lower side, and nar- 

 rowed at base, the upper lip some- 

 what cleft, emarginate, and smaller 

 than the lower. The stamens are 

 subulate, inserted in the base of the 

 corolla, declined, and support large, 

 oval, deeply-cleft anthers. The 

 ovary is pointed, ovate, having a 

 simple style, with a bifid stigma. 

 The capsule is ovate, acuminate, 

 two-celled and two-valved, contain- 

 ing numerous small, oblong, brown- 

 ish seeds. 



Fig. 225. 



D. purpurea. 



The Fox-glove is a native of Europe, and is cultivated in this country; it 

 flowers in June and July. There are several varieties of it, one of which, 

 with white flowers, is often met with in gardens. As before mentioned, not- 

 withstanding the striking appearance of this plant, it does not appear to have 

 been noticed by the ancients. It is supposed by Mr. Rootsey to be the plant 

 alluded to by Shakespear under the name of Long purples [Hamlet, iv. 7), 

 though other writers consider that, the poet referred to some species of Orchis. 

 It appears to have early attracted the attention of physicians, and Gerarde 

 says of it, " boiled in water or wine and drunken, it doth cut and consume 

 the thicke toughness of gross and slimie flegme, and naughtie humours. The 

 same, or boiled with honied water and sugar, doth scour and cleanse the 

 breste, ripeneth and bringeth forth tough clammie flegme." 



It was first recognised as officinal in the London Pharmacopoeia of 1721, 

 but omitted in that of 1746, though afterwards restored, and this same course 

 was pursued by the Edinburgh College. Its powers, however, were not un- 

 derstood until about 1775, when it was noticed by Withering as a powerful 

 diuretic in dropsy, since which it has maintained a high rank among the 

 heroic remedies. As an instance how little was known respecting it anterior 

 to this time, Lemery, in his great work says of it, " elle est detersive, un 



