390 
DECANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. 
Class X. 
1070. SPER'GULA. 
6567 arvensis W. 
6568 pentandra W. 
6569 nodosa W. 
6570 sagino'ides JV. 
6571 subulata W. 
W. 
Spurrey. 
rough-seeded O w 
smooth-seeded O w 
knotted j£ A w 
smooth-awl-sh. i£ A w 
ciliated-awl-sh. j£ A w 
Caryophyllece. Sp. 5 — 14. 
i jl.au W Britain san. fi. S co Eng. bot. 1535 
'i jn.jl W England san. fi. S co Eng. bot. 1536 
I jl.au W Britain san.he. D co Eng. bot. 694 
I jn.au W Scotland scalp. D co Eng. bot. 2105 
I jn.jl W Britain san.he. D co Eng. bot. 1082 
DECAGYNIA 
1071. PHYTOLACCA. 
6572 octandra W. 
6573 abyssinica IV. 
6574 dodecandra W. en. 
6575 decandra W. 
6576 icosandra W. 
6577 dioica W. 
W. Phytolacca. 
white-flowered [Z3 or 6 
African ti. O or 6 
recurved-leaved^ [Z3 or 6 
Virginian Pokej£ A cul 5 
red ^ (ZS or 3 
tree St. □ or 8 
Chenopodece. Sp. 6. 
jl.n 
my.jn 
my.jn 
au.s 
jl.n 
1732. 
1775. 
W.G Mexico 
W.G Africa 
R 
L.Pu Virginia 1615. 
W E. Indies 1758. 
W.G S. Amer. 1768. 
Di. el. t.239.f.308 
HoflF. c. goet. t.2 
Bot. mag. 931 
Mill. ic. t. 207 
L'her. st. no.t.70 
History, Use., Propagation, Culture, 
1070. Spergula. From spargere, to scatter, because it scatters its seeds abroad, to the great profit of the 
farmer in Holland, who obtains from it meadows affording the most delicious butter. S. arvensis is a common 
weed in sandy soils, in Scotland called yarr, and in Norfolk pickpurse. In the Netherlands and in Germany it 
is sown on corn stubbles, to supply a bite for sheep during winter. It may be sown and reaped in eight weeks, 
either in autumn or spring. It is said to enrich the milk of cows, so as to make it afford excellent butter ; and 
the mutton fed on it is preferable to that fed on turnips. Hens eat spurry greedily, and it is supposed to make 
them lay a great number of eggs, whether in hay, or cut green, or pasture. Von Thaer observes, it is the 
most nourishing, in proportion of its bulk, of all forage, and gives the best flavored milk and butter. It has 
been recommended to be cultivated in England ; but it is not likely that such a plant can ever pay the expense 
of seed and labour in this country, even on the poorest soil ; or at all events, as Professor Martyn observes, we 
have many better plants for such soils. 
1071. Phytolacca. From (pvrov, a plant, and lacca, lac ; that is to say, a plant whose fruit gives out a fine 
red color like lac. The English- American name Poke, applied to one species, is a corruption of Pocan, the 
name by which it was formerly known in Virginia. 
P. decandra has large ramose roots, shoots half an inch in diameter, and five or six feet high ; the leaves 
five inches long, and two and a half inches broad, smooth and of a deep green. It grows vigorously in a good 
deep soil, and furnishes ample supplies of young shoots, which in America and the West Indies are boiled 
and eaten as spinage. (Correa de Serra, in Hort. Trans, iv. 446.) 
