The BRITISH HERBAL. 
4. Broad-IeiivcJ whi[e NlgelU. 
N^gel'.a hitifolia fiore aJho. 
The root is long, fl^nJer, hung wirh 
many Bbres. 
The firft leaves arc large, and have long foot- 
ftaiks : they are divided inco thrie principal pares, 
and thofe are again notched and lubdivided ; and 
they are of a dufky green. 
The ftalks are round, weak, and white: they 
ftand but imperfectly upright, and are very much 
bnmched. 
The leaves on thefe are oblong, and divided 
into broad, notched fegments, in a pinnated man- 
ner. 
The flowers ftand fingly at the extremities of 
the branches, and are large and white : they have 
nothing of chat clufler of leaves under them, 
which diftinguifhes Ibme of the others. 
l"he feed vellei is oblong, large, and full of 
rough feed in five cells. 
Jt i& frequent in the Greek iflands, and flowers 
in Augujl. 
j Alpinus calls it Nigella alba fiore fimplici. 
Pona, Nixslla alba Cveilca odorata^ the flowers 
and feeds having a fragrant Imell. 
Thefe fpecics all pofTefs the fame virtues, but 
the hrft defcribed has them in the greateft de- 
gree. The feeds are to be preferred to any other 
part : they are deobftruent and diurecic, good in 
all obftruftions of the vifcera, and againll: the 
gravel. 
Some have recommended this feed as a fpecific 
againa agues ; but the bark has fuperl'eded all 
other medicines for that life. 
The root externally applied, ftops bleeding. 
It is a cuftom in the Eafl: to chew it, and put it 
up the nofe in hemorrhages from that part. 
It is fingular, that the Howers of the blui m- 
gclla afforil a green colour. If they are bruifed 
and rubbed on linen, they ftain it toafrefli green, 
which holds through many walliings. It would 
be therefore worth confidering, whetlier they 
might not be ufeful in dying ; for the plant is ea- 
fily cultivated, and the flowers are numerous. It 
would grow on any indifferent light land. 
GENUS vir. 
B A L S A IVI. 
B A L S A M I N A. 
THE flower is compofed of five irrcguhrly-difpofed petals, and has 3 fpur behind : the feed- 
vefiel is of a roundifli form, and the cup is compofed of two leaves. 
Linnasus places this among the fyngemfia folygaaia monagamia, making it the fame genus with the 
impatient : but thefe plants, as I have fiiewn already, differ as genera, not as fpecies of the fame wenus. 
The form of the fe- d-veflcl alone were fufhcierit to ertablifli the diftindion ; but there are others ob- 
vious enough, and as eflential. 
Common Balfam. 
Balfamina fcliis lanceolalis. 
The root is large, thick, and fpreading. 
The ftalks are thick, flefhy, and very much 
branched : they are of a tender fubfl:ance, and of 
a pale green. 
The leaves ftand irregularly on them ; and tliey 
are long, narrow, and fliarp-pointed, and ele- 
gantly ferrated at the edges ; their colour is jt 
frefli green. 
The flowers are large and beautiful : they grow 
fingly on flaort footflalks rifing from the bofoms 
of the leaves, and they have a Ihort fpur behind: 
tneir colour is naturally a bright red, but they 
change continually into white and variegated : 
the fame plant will frequently afford them at the 
fame time many different colours and variega- 
tions. ° 
The feed-veffel is roundifli, and rough ; and, 
when ripe, it burfts open with violence, and 
fcatters the feed. 
It is a native of the Eafl, but it ftands the fum- 
mer perfeftly well in our gardens. It flowers in 
July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Balfamina ftimina. Others 
only, Balfamina. Our gardeners know it by the 
name of Balfam. 
GENUS VIII. 
P U R S L A I N. 
POR'TVLACA. 
rj-iHE flower is compofed of five equal petals regularly difpofed : the feed-veffel is of an oval figure, 
■•■ and covered ; fplitting in the middle when ripe, and containing numerous feeds : the cup is°very' 
fmall, and divided into two parts, and it remains when the flower is fallen. 
LinnEUS places this among the folyandria movagyma ; the threads in the centre of the flower bein<f 
numerous, and fixed to the receptacle, and the ftyle from the rudiment of the capfule fingle. 
I. Common 
