184 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



MOLUCCELLA. 



M. Icevis. W. Shell Flower. Brought from Molucca, and 

 cultivated for ornament ; fine large flowers, with a singular, en- 

 larged, flat-oval calyx, which originates the English name. The 

 Moluccas afforded the species from which the genus was named. 



ORDER 222. BORAGINE^. The Borage Tribe. 



Corolla monopetalous, 5-cleft, sometimes 4-cleft, usually regu- 

 lar, surrounded by a persistent calyx of 5 or 4 divisions ; throat 

 or upper part of the corolla open, or sometimes closed ; ovarium 

 4-parted ; style simple ; stem round, leaves opposite, usually 

 rough. 



Several genera of native plants belong to this order, of which 

 the species are not numerous ; some, cultivated, have been intro- 

 duced from other countries. 



Borago. L. 5. 1. 



B. officinalis. L. Borage. A rough-leafed plant, intro- 

 duced from England, and now partially naturalized ; was formerly 

 used as a distinguished cordial ; fine blue flowers, with a flat border 

 or limb, and a finely rotate or wheel-shaped corolla. 



Symphytum. L. 5. 1. 

 S. officinale. L. Comfrey. Another plant of the gardens, 

 with white flowers in clusters, partially naturalized, and growing 

 for years in the same place, and extending itself very little. 

 Formerly used as a vulnerary, and famed for healing wounds ; its 

 name is from the Greek for union ; the English name probably 

 from its comfortable influence on wounds. Blossoms along time ; 

 a mucilaginous plant ; introduced from England. 



Anchusa. L. 5. 1. 



A. officinalis. L. Bugloss. From the Greek for paint, as 

 the root of one species was used for staining the features, and the 

 English name is ox-tongue, on account of the shape of the leaves, 

 and their roughness, from the Greek for ox and tongue ; much 



