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LINUM CATHARTICUM. 
Pnrgi7ig FlaXy or Mill Mountain.* 
Class Pentandria. Order Pentagynia. 
Nat. Oit/. Gruin ALES, Linn. Lis aceje, Juss. 
Gen. Char. Calyx 5-leaved. Petals 5. Capsule 5-valved, 
10-celled. Seed solitary. 
Spec. Char. Leaves opposite, obovate, lanceolate. Stem 
dichotomous. Petals acute. 
This species of flax is an annual, indigenous to Britain, and is 
found in various situations, delighting in light chalky soils ; it is 
commonly met with upon dry barren hills, and in pastures. 
The root of the mountain flax is small, tapering and woody, and 
sends out several slender, smooth, straight stems, which rise to the 
height of six or eight inches, and are branched towards the top ; the 
leaves are small, smooth, lanceolate, elliptical, and stand opposite 
in pairs, those towards the lower part of the stems are rounded at 
the extremity ; the flowers are small, white, and stand upon long 
footstalks at the end of the branches ; the calyx is composed of five 
permanent lanceolate leaves, serrated and one-ribbed ; the petals are 
ovate, pointed, slightly united at the base ; the germeli is ovate, 
triangular, and crowned with yellow stigmas ; the filaments are ranged 
in a circle round the germen, and support yellow anthers; the cap- 
sule is globular, about the size of a pea, ten-valved and ten-celled, 
each cell enclosing an oblong, glossy, pointed seed. 
Qualities and Chemical Properties. Purging flax has 
rather a warm and bitter taste, its smell is somewhat faint and 
unpleasant, it gives out the whole of its virtues to water. The 
watery infusion of the plant resembles in colour that of tea, is very 
bitter, and turns black by the addition of sulphate of iron. The 
ethereal tincture is green, and when evaporated in water, leaves a 
bitter green resin, and the water contains an extractive matter. 
Medical Properties and Uses. The medical properties of 
this plant are entirely confined to its aperient effects. An infusion of 
* Fig. a. represents a plant of tbe natural size. b. The pistilla magiiiBed. c. The 
stamens magnified, d. The calyx magnified. «. The capsule magnified. 
