LINACEiE. 



129 



called Agathosma, has several species, which are introduced 

 into the greenhouse ; the flowers are generally lilac, white, 

 or pink, and the leaves like those of heaths ; the latter are 

 also used by the Hottentots to perfume their bodies, which 

 renders them extremely disagreeable to Europeans. Ba- 

 rosma is another genus of the same character and habits. 



LINAGES 



Exogens, with the divisions of the calyx three to five, not 

 falling off. Petals the same in number, but soon fading, clawed, 

 and growing below the germen. Stamens equal in number and 

 alternate with the petals, arising from a disc below the germen. 

 — Annual and perennial plants, with simple, entire leaves, oppo- 

 site or alternate ; most abundant in Europe, but found elsewhere ; 

 the properties are mucilaginous and fibrous. 



LINUM. (Flax.) 



Gen. Char. (Pentandria Pentagynia.) Elowers inferior ; petals 

 five ; capsule ten-celled. 



The Celtic word for thread is lin, whence the Latin 

 linum. The garden is adorned with several species of this 

 genus, but the greenhouse also boasts of its Flax-plant, as 

 the species L. trigynwm is worthy of a place, for it produces 



VOL. II. K 



