124 
FHE BRI^riSH HERBAL. 
DIVISION I. BR 
I. Common Cow-wheat. 
Melatnpyrum vulgare. 
The root is fmall, oblong» crooked, and white, 
and has a few fibres. 
The ftalk is flender, weak, angulated, but 
moderately upright, very much branched, and 
about a foot high. 
The leaves lland in pairs, and have no foot- 
ftalks. 
Thofe toward the bottom of" the flalk are ob- 
long, fomewhat broad, and deeply indented to- 
ward the bafe ; thole on the upper part of the 
plant are longer and narrower, and altogether 
plain. 
The flowers are large and yellow : they grow 
in loofe fpikes at the tops of the ftaiks, bending 
one way. 
The feed-velTel is oblong and hooked at the 
top: the feeds are large. 
The whole plant is of a blackifh colour. 
It is common in woods, and flowers in June 
and July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Melampyrum luteum latifo- 
lium. Others, Cratieagoniwi vulgare. 
2. Narrow-leaved Cow- wheat. 
Meinmjiyrum angufiifolium 
The root is long, flender, white, crooked, 
and full of fibres. 
1 he ftalk is firm, flender, and of a purpli(h 
colour: it is ered, and not much branched. 
The leaves ftand in pairs, and they have no 
footftalks : they are placed at diftances upon the 
ftalk, and are very long and narrow; of a deep 
green, and not at all indented, but fharp at the 
point. 
The Bowers are large, and ufually of a yel- 
low colour; but in this there is a great deal of 
variation ; we fee ihem fometimes white, fome- 
times red, and fomeamts of a mixed colour be- 
tween a!! thcfe. 
They ftand at the tops of the ilalks in a kind 
of creflied heads, or fhort, thick, fquare fpikes. 
The feed-vefl'el is oblong, and the feeds are 
very large. 
It is common in the northern counties of Eng- 
land J and flowers in July, 
C. Bauhlne calls it Melampyrum luteum angufii- 
folium. We in Englifli, Crefted cow-wheat. 
There is a very pretty variety of this plant, 
DIVISION II. F O 
Woolly-topped Cow-wheat. 
Melampyrum calycihus lanntis. 
The root is long, flender, and white. 
The ftalk is fquare, eredt, firm, and very 
little branched : it is a foot high, and ufually is 
of a greenifli colour. 
The leaves ftand two at a joint: they are long, 
narrow, and of a deep green. 
Thofe which grow on the lower part of the 
ftalk are not at all jagged ; but thofe on the 
upper part have fome indencings near the bafe. 
ITISH SPECIES. 
in which the flower is white, fpotted with yel- 
low. This has been defcribed by fome as a dif- 
tind: fpecies, but erroneoufly. It is common 
with us among the other. 
3. Purple-headed Cow-wheat. 
Mdam-pyrmi furpiirafiaite coma. 
The root is llendcr, woody, and furnilhed with 
a few fibres. 
The ftalk is flender, fquare, tolerably upright, 
of a purplifli colour, fomewhat branched, "and 
about a foot high. 
The leaves ftand in pairs : they are oblong, 
and moderately broad, of a deep green, an°d 
dented fliarply and deeply at the edt^es. 
Thofe which grow at the top.s of the ftaiks 
diflicr from the reft : they are fhort, broad, and 
of a deep red, which gives the tops of the plant 
a purple tinge, whence its name. 
The flowers grow among thefe, and are large 
and beautiful : they are variegated with red and 
yellow. 
The feed-vefTel is large and oval : the feeds are 
few, large, and whitifti. 
It is found in the cornfields in Norfolk and 
fome other counties ; but it is not a common 
plant. It flowers in Auguft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Melampyrum purpurafcenle 
coma. J. Bauhine, Iriticum vaccinemn. 
Cow-wbialh a ufeful plant for the fattening of 
cattle : in places where it is more common they 
ufe it for that purpofe ; and with us it would be 
very well worth the hufl^andman's while to try it 
among the great number of thofe plants brought 
from abroad, which are now fo fuccefsfully cul- 
tivated in our fields ; as faintfoine, chiches, len- 
tils, and the like. This, being a native of 
England, would grow more freely than any of 
them, and it would not require a rich foil ; fo 
that the trial might be made with little expence 
or trouble. 
It is common among the corn in Flanders, as 
well as in fome counties of England ; and they 
thrafli it with the grain, and let it come into 
their bread ; it increafes the quantity, and does 
no harm. 
Some have faid that the bread in which it is 
mixed caufes giddinefs of the head and other com- 
plaints ; but this is contradifled by thole who have 
experience. It fattens cattle fafely and fpeedily. 
REIGN SPECIES. 
The ftaiks are terminated by clufters of fmall, 
ftiort leaves, placed very thick together, with a 
downy matter among them ; and thefe are ufually 
of a deep violet blue. 
The flowers are large, and of a beautiful "old 
yellow. 
The fecd-vcflel is oblong, and the feeds are 
few and large. 
It is a native of Germany, and grows in woods 
and forefts. 
C. Bauhine calls it Melampyrum coma cxrulca. 
GENUS 
