138 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
GENUS II. 
ENCHANTERS NIGHTSHADE. 
C I R C yE A. 
THE flower is compofcd of two petals, divided at the ends, and fpread open : the cup confifta 
of two fmall, oval leaves, and lalls with the Hower ; the leed vcfTel is oval and rough, and 
contains only two feeds. 
LinnEus places this among the iianiria momgynia ; there being two threads in each flov^er, and 
the ftyle from the rudiment of the capfule fingk. 
DIVISION I. 
BRITISH SPECIES. 
Common Enchanters Nightfliade. 
CirCifa lutetiiina. 
The root is large and fpreading, and is fur- 
nilhed with many fibres. 
The ftalk is round, firm, upright, and ten 
inches high. 
The leaves (land in pairs, and have long foot- 
ftalks : they are of an oval figure, and terminate 
in a fharp point ; they are broadefl at the bafe, 
and fmaller all the way to the extremity ; their 
colour is a deep beautiful green ; and they are a 
little indented at the edges, but it is (lightly and 
irregularly. 
The flowers fland in a long fpike at the top of 
the flalk : they arc fmall and white ; each has its 
feparate footftalk ; and they Hand in a very re- 
gular manner : when the plant has been any time 
in the flower thefe occupy the top of the fpike, 
and feed-veffeis hang from their footflalks on 
the lower part: befides the larger fpike which 
terminates theflalk, there are ufually fmaller from 
the bofoms of the upper leaves. The two petals 
of which each flower is compofcd are fo fplit that 
it feems to have four. 
The feed-vcffels are fiiiall and rough. 
It is a native of our woods and thickets, and 
flowers in April. 
C. Bauhine calls it SoIanifoUn circ^ea di^a major. 
Others, Circ^a hitetiana ; or fimply Circa: 
DIVISION II. FOREIGN SPECIES. 
I. Dwarf Enchanters Nightlhade. 
Circ^a mimtim. 
The root is white, and fpreads under the 
furface. 
The flialk is round, weak, and in part pro- 
cumbent : it is four inches long, and lies half 
that length upon the ground. 
The leaves are broad and fhort, largefl: at the 
bafe, and fmaller to the point, not at all indented 
at the edges, and of a blackilh green. 
The flowers fland in a fpike at the top of the 
ifalk, and are white, with a blufli of red: the 
cup is whitifli, and coloured at the edges. 
The feed -veflels are fhort, and roundifh rather 
than oval. 
C. Bauhine calls it Sclmifslia Circica alpina. 
Linnsus, Circra cauk adfatideiile racemo mm. 
2. Broad-leaved Circsa. 
Grctea lalifoUa. 
The root is long, thick, and fpreading. 
The firft leaves are very large, and of an oval 
figure ; broad at the bafe, and obtufe at the 
ends : there are only two or three of them in a 
tuft i and they have flrort footftalks. 
The ftalk is round, upright, firm, hairy, and 
two feet high. 
The leaves ftand in pairs, and have long foot- 
ftalks: they are broad and oblong, widely Icr- 
rated, and ftiarp-pointed ; and their colour is a 
beautiful deep green. 
"The flowers are white, with a tinge of purple 
fometimes, but not always ; they ftand in long 
fpikes on the top of the ftalk, and on . branches 
rifing from the bofoms of the upper leaves : the 
fced-vefTel is large and rough. 
It is a native of North America, and flowers ' 
in May, 
Tournefort calls it Circ^a canadmfn latifolia 
fiore alh. 
Nothing is certainly known of the virtues of 
thefe plants. 
The END rf the S I XT H CLASS. 
9 
THE 
