The BRITISH HERBAL, 
45 
All the Latin writers from the carlieft time call this plant [raxindU ; and if this modern improver 
was difpleafcd with that name, he might have changed it without taking that of dillamnus : it would 
certainly have been more juftifiable to have called it Iragiiim, that being the name by which it is called 
in the earlidl Greek writers ; the other however being univerfally received, is much fitter for the 
purpofc; the Italian and Spanilh frajjimlli, and moll other of the European names, being formed 
upon that word. 
Of this genus there is but one known fpecies ; and this is not feen in Britain, except in gar- 
dens. 
White Dittany. 
Fraxtnella. 
The root conlifts of a great number of thick, 
long, and tough fibres. 
The leaves rifing from it are very large, and 
beautifully pinnated : they confifl each of about 
five pair of fnialler, and a fingle one at the end ; 
and ftand on fiiort footftalks. They are of a 
pale green colour, broad, oblong, pointed at the 
ends, and fcarce at all ferratcd at the edges ; and 
they refemble in fome degree the leaves of the 
afli-tree, in miniature. 
The ftalks rife amidfl; thele leaves, which foon 
after fade and perifh. 
They are robuft, firm, branched, and two or 
three feet high. 
Their leaves ftand alternately ; and are altoge- 
ther like thofe from the root, but fomething 
fmaller. 
The flowers are of a beautiful pale red, often 
■white i and have each ten long threads, which 
add to their beauty. 
The feeds follow in five flatted pods. 
The tops of this plant have a redilh hairinefs, 
and there is a refinous matter about them which 
fliicks to the fingers on touching them, and has 
a very fragrant fmcll. 
This refin is fo inflammable, that if a lighted 
candle be brought near the ftalk of the plant, fo 
that the flame touch any of the refin, the whole 
takes fire in an inft:ant, and goes off with 'a re- 
markable explofion. The plant will not be de- 
ftroyed by this, but will recover its refinous mat- 
ter again in a few days ; and the experiment may 
be repeated with fucccfs. 
It is a native of Italy and France, but Hands 
very well in our gardens. 
Its univerfal name among authors \%fraxinell»: 
it obtained this from the refemblance of its leaves 
to thofe of the afh. 
The bark of the root contains the principal 
virtue of the plant ; and our druggifts keep it : but 
they o^ten fell it old and decayed, and no root 
lofes its virtue fooner. It is a cordial and fudo- 
rifick when frelh dried. The antients elteemed 
it a fovereign remedy againfl: poifons and vene- 
mous bites ; it is in efteem in fome places as a 
diuretick and deobftruent, and ag^inft worms. 
If we had it more frequently frefh, and pof- 
feflSd of its full virtues, we fliould value it 
highly. 
GENUS XIII. 
MONKS - HOOD. 
A C O N I T U M. 
THE flower confifts of five petals, and has no cup : the petals of the flower are of a fingular 
form and fituation : one Hands uppermofl:, two are placed fideways, and two below ; the upper 
one is hooded ; the fide petals are broad, roundifh, and (land inclining to one another ; and the two 
lower are longer, and droop downwards : within the flower there alio ftand two glandules or nec- 
taria on little pedicles, and with crooked tails. The feeds are in capfules, three after every flower. 
Linnaus places this among the folyandria trigyma : the flower is fo extremely fingular, that it is 
wonderful it did not keep the genus diftinft, and the fpecies together in all authors. We muft be 
furprifed to fee larkfpurs brought into it, the flower in this genus not having that great charaftcriftick 
of the larkfpur, the fpur or tail. 
1. Blue Monks-Hood. 
Aconitum carwJam 'vulgan. 
The root is long, thick, hard, divided into 
fcveral parts, and furniflied with numerous fibres. 
The leaves rifing from it are very large, of a 
beautiful green, and divided into numerous, nar- 
row, long fegments. 
The fl:alk is robuft, ereft, and five feet high. 
The leaves fl:and irregularly, and in form re- 
femble thofe from the root ; but they arc fmaller. 
They are placed on long footftalks, and are di- 
vided to the flialk, into fix or more long, narrow 
fegments, which are again deeply notched at the 
edges, and often fubdivided into others. Thefe 
are of a deep, but plealant green, and have a line 
running along their centre. 
The flowers are numerous, and of a beautiful 
blue : they ftahd in long fpikes on the tops of the 
branches, and are large, and of a fine full colour. 
They are followed by capfules, three after every 
flower ; in which are large rough feeds. 
It is a native of Germany, and many of the 
nortliern parts of Europe ; and flo-.vcrs in July. 
J. Bauhine calls it Aainitum cerukiim, five na- 
PELLUS. Lobel, iVaj>«,'/iH i'tnw i and moll others 
fimply NapeUtis. 
