IGITALIS PURPUREA. 



OX-GLOVF, 



DIGITALIS Linnai Gen. PL Didynamia Angiospermia. 



CaL 5-partitus. Cor. campanulata 5-fida, ventricofa. Caps, ovatabilocularis* 



Pail Syn. Gen. 18. Herbje fructu sicco singulari flore monopetalo. 

 DIGITALIS purpurea Calycinis foliolis ovatis acutis, corollis obtufis : labio fuperiore integro. Linn. Syft. 



Vegetal, p. 570. Sp. PL p. 866. 

 DIGITALIS foliis calycinis ovatis, galea fimplici. Hatter, hifl. p> 143. ?u 330. 

 DIGITALIS purpurea. Scopoli PL CarnloL p. 447. n. 780, 

 DIGITALIS purpurea folio afpero. p. 243. 

 DIGITALIS purpurea. Gerard, emac. 790. 

 DIGITALIS purpurea vulgaris. Parkin/on 1653. Rail Syn. p* 283. Purple Fox-glove. PLudfor PL 



Angl. p. 240. Oeder PL Dan Icon. 774. 



RADIX biennis, fibrofa. * 



CAULIS tripedalis ad orgyalem, firnplex, erectus, fo- | 



liofus, teres, pubefcens. f 



FOLIA ovato-acuta, ferrata, venofa, fubtus albida, pu- | 



befcentia ; Petioli breves, alati. $ 



t 

 FLORES fpicati, nutantes, imbricati, fecundi. I 



% 



PEDUNCULI uniflori, pubefcentes, apice incraffati, | 



peracta. florefcentia fuberecti. % 



* 



CALYX: Perianthium quinquepartitum, laciniis o- | 



vato-acuminatis, nervofis, fuprema anguftiore, $ 



fg- *• I 



COROLLA monopetala, fubcampanulata, purpurea, y 



interne ocellata ; tubus magnus, patens, deor- t 



fum ventricofus, bafi cylindracea, arcla; limbus I 



parvus, quadrifidus,, lacinia fuperiore integra, $ 



quaii truncata, inferiore majore, inflexa. | 



STAMINA : Fil amenta quatuor bail Corollas inferta, 

 alba, apice paululum latiora, bafi infracta, quo- 

 rum duolongiora ; Anthers primum magnse, 

 turgidae, ovatae, bafi coadunatae, lutefcentes, et 

 fepe maculatae ; demum et forma et fitu mire 

 mutantur, fg. 2, 3, 4. 



PISTILLUM : Germen fubconicum, luteo-virens ; 

 Stylus fimplex ; Stigma bifidum, Jig. 5, 



6, 7- 

 KECTARIUM Glandula bafin Germinis cingens, 



fg- 8. 

 PERICARPIUM : Capsula ovato-acuminata, bilocu- 

 laris, bivalvis, vaivula inferiore findente, fg. g. 



SEMINA plurima, nigricantia, parva, utraque extremitate 

 truncata,^-. 10. 



ROOT biennial and fibrous. 



STALK from three to fix feet high, fimple, upright, 

 leafy, round, and pubefcent or downy. 



LExWES of a painted oval fhape, ferrated, veiny, under- 

 neath whitifh and pubefcent ; the Foot-stalks 

 fhort and winged. 



FLOWERS growing in a fpike, pendulous, laying one 

 over another all one way. 



PEDUNCLES fuftaining one flower, pubefcent, thick- 

 eft at top, after the flower drops off, becoming 

 nearly upright. 



CALYX : a Perianthium divided into five fegments, 

 which are of an oval pointed fhape, and nervous, 

 the uppermoft narrower than the reft, fq. 1 . 



COROLLA monopetalous, fomewhat bell-fhaped, pur- 

 ple, and marked in the iniide with little eyes ; 

 the tube large, fpreading, bulging out back- 

 wards; the bafe cylindrical, and as if it had 

 been tyedwith a ligature ; the limb fmall and 

 quadrifid, the upper fegment entire and as if 

 cut off, the lower fegment larger and bent in. 



STAMINA : four Filaments inferted into the bottom 

 of the Corolla, white, a little broadeft at top, 

 crooked at bottom, two long and two fhort ; 

 Anther-E at firft large, turgid, oval, touch- 

 ing at bottom, of a yellowifh colour and often 

 fpotted ; laftly changing both their form and 

 fituation in a lingular manner, fig. 2, 3, 4. 



PISTILLUM : Germen rather conical, of a yellow 

 green colour; Style fimple; Stigma bifid, 



fg- 5> 6 > 7- 



NECTARY a Gland furrounding the bottom of the 

 Germen, fg. 8. > 



SEED-VESSEL: a pointed oval Capsule, of two ca- 

 vities and two valves, the lowermoft valve 

 iplitting in two, fig. p. 



SEEDS numerous, blackifh, fmall, as if cut off at 

 each end, fg. 10. 



Was it not that we are too apt to treat with neglect the beautiful plants of our own country, merely becaufe 

 they are common and eafily obtained, the ftately and elegant Fox-glove would much oftener be the pride of our 

 gardens than it is at prefent ; for it is not only peculiarly ftriking at a diftance, but its flowers and their feveral parts 

 become beautiful in proportion to the nearnefs of our view : How Angularly and how regularly do the bloflbms hang 

 onexwer another ! How delicate are the little fpots which ornament the iniide of the flower ! and like the wings of 

 fome of our fmall Butterflies fmile at every attempt of the Painter to do them juftice : how pleafing is it to behold 

 the neuling Bee hide itfelf in its pendulous bloflbms ! while extracting its fweets which furnim our tables with honey, 

 and our manufacturers with wax : nor are the more interior parts of the flower lefs worthy of our admiration, 

 orlefs adapted to the improvement of the young Botanift : here all the parts of the fructification being large, he will 

 readily obtain a' diftinct idea of them ; but more particularly of the form of the Antherae, and the alteration which 

 takes place in them, previous to and after the difcharge of the Pollen, vld. fg. 3, 4. 



The flowers of this plant are in general of a fine purple colour, and like all other purple flowers are liable to varia- 

 tions ; fometimes we find the bloflbms of a milk white or cream colour, and fome other varieties of it are mentioned 

 by Ray, but the white is the moft common. Such as would wifh to cultivate it, may raifeit either from feed, which 

 is very fmall for the fize of the plant, or from young plants. It grows naturally in a dry and gravelly foil, and in iuch 

 fituations is common enough over moft parts of England ; about Charlton-Wood it is very plentiful, and flowers in 

 July and Auguft. 



According to the teftimony of many writers, the juice or decoction of this plant taken inwardly, acts as an emetic 

 and purgative, and that too with confiderable violence; hence Mr. Ray very properly advifes it to be given to fuch 

 only as have robuft conftitutions. Parkinson affirms that it is very efficacious in the cure of the Epilepfy ; but he 

 unites with it in his prefcription Polypody of the Oak, fo that there is no knowing to which of the plants the merit of 

 curing this ftubborn difeafe is due. 



The flowers or herb either bruifed or made into an ointment, are ftrongly recommended in Schrophulous tumours and 

 ulcers ; and fo great an opinion have the Italians of its virtues as a vulnerary, that they have the following proverb 

 concerning it. '* Arafda tutte le piaghe falda." Fox-glove cures all wounds. Pali Hi/l. Plant. 



