Chenopodium Olidum. Stinking Elite, or Orach. 



CHENOPODIUM Lin. Gen. PL Pentandria Digynia. 



Cal. 5-phyllus, 5-gonus. Cor. o. Semen 1. lenticulare fuperum. 



Rail Syn. Gen. 5. Herb^e flore imperfecto seu stamineo vel 



APETALO POTIUS. 



CHENOPODIUM Vulvaria foliis integerrimis, rhomboideo-ovatis, floribus conglomeratis axil- 

 laribus. Lin. Syft. Vegetab. p. 216. Sp. PL 321. Fl. Suec. 222. 



CHENOPODIUM caule diffufo, foliis obtufe lanceolatis. Halkr hift. n. 1577. 



CHENOPODIUM Vulvaria. Scopoli Fl. Cam. n. 281. 



ATRIPLEX fcetida. Bauh. Pin. 119. 



ATRIPLEX olida. Ger. emac. 327. 



ATRIPLEX fylveftris fcetida. Park. 749. 



BLITUM fcetidum Vulvaria diclum. Rail Syn. p. 156. Stinking Orache. Hudfon FL Angl. ed. 2. 

 p. 107. Lightfoot Fl. Scot. p. 149. 



Tota planta farina alba pellucida adfperfa. { The whole plant fprinkled with a white pellucid meal. 



I 

 RADIX annua, fibrofa. $ ROOT annual and fibrous. 



*** 



CAULES plures, diffufi, teretes, fubftriati, nudiuf- | STALKS numerous, fpreading, round, fomewhat 

 culi. # ftriated, and thinly befet with leaves. 



FOLIA alterna, petiolata, rhomboideo-ovata, inte- $ LEAVES alternate, {landing on footftalks, rhomboid- 

 gerrima. f ovate, perfectly entire. 



If 

 FLORES axillares et terminales, denfe glomerati, f FLOWERS axillary and terminal, thickly cluttered, 



fubfpicati. | and fomewhat fpiked. 



FRUCTIFICATIO a reliquis hujus generis vix di- | FRUCTIFICATION fcarcely different from the reft 

 verfa. J of this genus. 



Fig. 1. exhibet Calycem, Stamina, cum Piftillo. | Fig. 1. exhibits the Calyx, with the Stamina and Pif- 



4 tjllum. 



f 

 Fig. 2. Semen Calyce inclufum. | Fig. 2. The Seed enclofed by the Calyx. 



Fig. 3. Semen feorfim. Omnia auft. * Fig. 3. The Seed feparate. All magnified. 



There is fome difficulty in afcertaining feveral of the plants of this genus, but that difficulty cannot be 

 alleged againft the prefent fpecies, as it is at all times, both frefh and dried, difcoverable by its fmell alone ; 

 the whole plant, if ever fo flightly bruifed betwixt the thumb and fingers, communicating a very permanently 

 difagreeable odour, refembling, in the opinion of moft perfons, dale fait fifh : it is, moreover, a procumbent 

 plant. 



This fpecies is very common in the neighbourhood of London, on dry banks, and at the foot of walls and 

 paling, where it flowers from July to September. Lewis errs egregioufly when he fays it naturally delights 

 in moift places. 



It is a plant of little confequence, except in a medicinal point of view, and in that its virtues are, perhaps, 

 ill-founded ; it retains, however, a place in the London and Edinburgh Difpenfatories. 



" Stinking Orache, on account of its ftrong fcent, is reckoned an ufeful antihyfteric ; in which intention, 

 " fome recommend a conferve of the leaves, others a watery infufion, and others a fpirituous tin&ure of 

 " them. On fome occafions it may, perhaps, be preferable to the fetids, which have been more commonly 

 " made ufe of, as not being accompanied with any pungency or irritation, and feeming to acl merely by 

 " virtue of its odorous principle." Lewis's Mat. Med. p. 124. 



