The BRITISH HERBAL. 
43 
divided iniro numerous branches ; and not more 
than fix inches high. 
The leaves (land irregularly oh it, and are di- 
vided into many longifh and narrow fegmen:s : 
thofe on the lower parts of the llalk arc largeft, 
and ftand on footftalks-, thofe toward the upper 
part have no footftalks, and have but few divi- 
fons. 
The flowers ftand on the tops of the branches : 
they are large, and have a long heel : their co- 
lour is a dead blue. 
There follows each Hower orJy a finglc capfule 
for the feeds i but it is eafy Co fee that it is com- 
pofed of three, united one with another. This 
perfeftly Iliews how the fingle capfule happens in 
the other fpecies. 
It is common in the corn-fields in feme parts of 
England, and flowers in June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Confolida regalis arve7tfis fiore 
c^ruleo. Others, Delphinium fegelim jiore Ctc- 
ruleo: 
Frdm this incodHderable plant rift' a]I the 
common varieties of the garden larkfpurs. There- 
are diftinf^: fpecies to be named hereafter ; but 
the coymmijf tall^ and double larkfpurs rife unly 
from this ftock by culture. 
It is agglutinant, and vulnerary. The con- 
ferve of the flowers is good in thofe purgi'igs to 
which children are fubjecl, attended with fharp 
humours. 
The juice of the flowers is good againfl: difor- 
ders of the eyes j and the whole herb made into 
an infufion, againfl cholicks. 
Some have difputed thefe virtues of the lark- 
[pur ; but they tried the garden kind ; that from 
\ the field is the right. 
I 
DIVISION II. FOREIGN SPECIES. 
I. Great fennel-leaved Larkfpur. 
Delphinium foUis feniculi. 
This is a large and very beautiful fpecies. The 
root is long, fimple, white, and tufted with 
fibres. 
The leaves that rife from it are long, large, 
and divided into a multitude of flender, long feg- 
ments j fo that they have feme refemblance of 
thofe of fennel ; and they are of a dark green. 
The ftalk is robuft, erefl:, and four feet high : 
it divides toward the top into many branches, and 
on thefe ftand long fpikes of flowers. 
The leaves on the ftaik refemble thofe from the 
root in their divifion and colour : they ftand al- 
ternate, and are of a fine frefti green : their feg- 
ments are numerous, and very flender. 
The fiowers arc large, and of the form of thofe 
of the common larkfpur, but of a deeper and more 
beautiful blue. This is their natural, but not 
their conftant colour ; for they are fometimes 
red, and fometimes white. 
It is a native of Spain, and is brought into our 
gardens; where it has all the advantages of cul- 
ture, and all the varieties attending it. 
C. Bauhine calls it Confolida regalis hcrtenfis 
fiore mrijore ftmplici. 
2. Broad-leaved hairy Larkfpur. 
Delphinium hirfutum latifolium. 
The root is thick, and has few fibres. 
The leaves that rife from it ftand on long foot- 
ftalks ; and are large, hairy, and of a pale green : 
they are divided into many portions-, but that not 
in the manner of the others, into narrow, gralfy 
fegments i but into about five broad parts, which 
are each fubdivided toward the ends by deep 
cuts, and are notched round the tdges. 
The ftalk is thick, robuft, ered, purplifh, a 
little hairy, and three feet high ■, and is not much 
branched ; often none at all. 
The leaves are numerous on it, but ftand ir- 
regularly : they refemble thofe from the root, 
but are fmalier. 
The flowers are large, with a long fpur, and 
of a very beautiful blue : they ftand in a lon'^ 
fpike. 
The feed-veffels follow, three after each flower j 
and the feed is large, and dark coloured. 
It is a native of the northern parts of Europe, 
whence it is brought into our gardens where, 
from the leaves differing from the o\.\\tT larkfpurs., 
and in feme degree refembling thofe of the aco- 
nites, it is commonly called tall ivolfi-bansi 
Authors have alfo led themfclvcs into this error, 
by not fufficiently confidering that the flower is 
the part from which the reference to a genus Is 
to be taken. 
C. Bauhine calls it Jco7iitim crrul-utu hirfutum 
jiore confolid,e regalis. 
3. Smooth broad-leaved Larkfput. 
Delphinium laiifoltuiyi glabrmn. 
The root is long, white, fpjit into branchesj 
and hung round with fibres. * 
The leaves that rife from it are large, broad, 
and deeply divided ; but not at all like thofe of 
the common kind of larkfpur^ or even like the 
laft kind ; thofe are divided fomewhat in the fin- 
gered manner, their feveral broad fegments run- 
ning from the fiime point which is the top of the 
footftaik ; but thefe have rather the divifion of 
the pinnated kind i for their feveral broad fig- 
ments, which are about equal in number, ftand 
in pairs, though they are not cut in to the centre, 
with an odd one at the end. They are of a dufky 
green, and not at all hairy. 
The ftalk is round, upright, and two feet antS 
' a hall high. 
The leaves ftand irregularly, and are like thofe 
from the root, divided into three or four pairs of 
deep fegments, with an odd one at the end» 
The flowers ftand in fpikes at the tops of the 
branches, and are fmall and red. 
The feeds follow in a fingle capfule i but, like 
the common larkfpur, a capfule made up of three. 
It is anadve of the Greek iflands, and of the 
warmer parts of Europe ; and flowers in June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Confolida regalis Idtifolla 
farvo fore. 
* G e;. 
