INUM CATHARTICUM. PURGING FLAX. 



LINUM Lin. Gen. PL Pentandria Pentagynia Cal. 6 phyllus. Pet 5. Caps 5. valvis, 10 locu- 

 laris. Sem. folitaria. 

 Rail Syn. Gen. 24. Herb,e Pentapetal^e Vasculifer^e. 



LINUM catharticum foliis oppofitis, ovato-lanceolatis, caule dichotomo, corollis acutis, JJn. Syjl. Ve- 

 getak p. 250. Sp* plant, p. 401. Fl. Sueclc. p. 100. 



LINUM foliis conjugatis, ovatis, calycibus ariftatis, patulis, lanceolatis. Haller Hlfi. n. S39. 



LINUM catharticum. Scopoll. Ft. Cam. n. 389. 



LINUM pratenfe flofculis exiguis. Bawhln. ph. 214. 



LINUM fylveftre catharticum. Ger. emac. 560. Parkin/on. 1336. Rail Syn. p. 362. purging or wild 



Dwarf-Flax or Mill-mountain. 



Llghtfoot FL Scot. p. 174. 



Hudfon. FL Angl. ed. 2. p. 134. 



RADIX annua, fibrofa. f ROOT annual, and fibrous. 



t 

 C AULIS paimaris aut dodrantalis, erectus, teres, laevis, ¥ STALK from three to nine inches high, upright, 



fuperne ramofus. I round, fmooth, branched at top. 



FOLIA oppofita, elliptica, fubere&a, laevia, integer- | LEAVES oppofite, elliptical, nearly upright, fmooth, 

 rima, glauca, in fummis ramis alterna, | perfectly entire, glaucous, on the tops of 



lanceolata. ¥ the branches alternate, and lanceolate. 



FLORES albi, ante anthefin penduli. I FLOWERS white, before they blow pendulous. 



CALYX: Perianthium pentaphyllum, perfiftens, | CALYX : a Perianthium of five leaves and perma- 

 foliolis lanceolatis, eredis, carinatis. fig. 1. * nent, the leaves lanceolate, and upright, 



I with a prominent midrib, fig. 1. 



COROLLA pentapetala, petalis Calyce duplo longi- | COROLLA compofed of five petals, which are twice 



oribus, patentibus, ovatis, acutis, prope bafin | the length of the Calyx, fpreading, oval and 



leviter cohserentibus, trinervibus, unguibus % pointed, flightly uniting at the bafe, having 



flayis. fig. 2. I three ribs and yellow claws, fig. 2. 



? 

 STAMINA : Filamenta quinque aequalia, fubulata, | STAMINA : five Filaments of equal length, ta- 

 bafi latiora, fubcoalefcentia ; ANTHERiE fub- | pering, broadeft and flightly uniting at 



rotundse, flavae. fig. 3. % bottom ; Antherje roundifh and yellow. 



I fig- 3> 



% 

 PISTILLUM : Germen fubovatum, angulatum ; | PISTILLUM : Germen angular ; Styles five, the 

 Styli quinque, longitudine ftaminum ; | length of the Stamina ; Stigmata round- 



Stigmata rotunda, flava. fig. 4. 5. ¥ i<h, and yellow, fig. 4. 5. 



PERICARPIUM: Capsula globofa, angulata, de- | SEED-VESSEL: a round, angular Capsule, with 

 cemlocularis, quinquevalvis, Calyce tefta. | ten cavities and five valves cover'd with 



fig. 6. 1 the Calyx, fig. 6. 



SEMINA folitaria, ovata, planiufcula, flava, nitida. | SEEDS fingle, oval, flattifh, yellow and Ihming. 

 fig. 7- * A- 7- 



THIS fmall and delicate fpecies of Flax is a very common plant throughout the kingdom on hilly 

 filiations particularly where the foil is chalky, it alfo fometimes found in Meadows. 



It flowers in June, July and Auguft. 



An infufion in water or whey of a handfull of the frefh leaves, or a dram of them in fubftance when 

 dried, are faid to purge without inconvenience. Lewis Dlfp. p. 168. 



