800 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



THE BOEAGE AND NIGHTSHADE ALLIANCE. 

 The Borage Family. 



(BORAGINACE^.) 



Shrubs or herbs. Leaves simple, alternate, covered with 

 hairs, which often rise from tubercles, and give a degree of 

 roughness specially characteristic of the family. Flowers 

 sometimes solitary and axillary, but generally in twisted 

 one-sided spikes or racemes. Corolla tubular or salver- 

 shaped. Fruit 4 distinct nuts, or 2 and 2 united, each 

 1 -seeded, included within the permanent calyx. 



This family consists of nearly 700 species, almost all con- 

 fined to the temperate countries of the northern hemisphere, 

 the greater number being natives of Europe and Western 

 middle Asia. Comparatively few are found in North 

 America. In the Canaries, Madeira and countries of the 

 Mediterranean they are represented by shrubby and showy 

 species of Echium. They are soft, mucilaginous and in- 

 nocuous. A great number are of a weedy nature. 



Borage (Borago officinalis). A native of England, grow- 

 ing in neglected places. It attains the height of 2 or 3 feet, 

 having very rough leaves and pretty blue flowers. It is 

 grown in gardens, and used for making a cooling drink, 

 called cold tankard. Its famed virtues for other j)urposes 

 are however much more ideal than real. 



Comfrey (^Symphytum officinale). A strong grooving peren- 

 nial plant, native of Britain, which has long had its virtues 

 extolled, but, like those of Borage, they are imaginary. The 

 young sprouts are sometimes blanched and used as 

 Asparagus. 



Alkanet {Anchusa tinctoria). A strong growing peren- 

 nial plant with pretty blue flowers, native of the South of 

 Europe, and cultivated in many parts for its roots, which are 

 imported from France and Germany. They yield a red dye, 

 which is used for colouring oils, wax, salve, &c. 



