222 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
BRITISH S P E C I K S. 
DIVISION I. 
Yellow Hj'popitys. 
H)'popiixs fwYibus minerofis jla'vh. 
The root is fmall, and of an irregular figure-, 
^ , Ic lies deep in the ground, and a part of the 
flalk is buried alfo with it. 
The part of the ftalk which appears above the 
furface is about eight inches in height : it is thick, 
^efliy, tender, and of a pale yellow colour: it 
riles upright, and is not at all branched. 
The leaves are thin and filmy, and fcarce dc- 
ferve that name : they fland alternately, and ad- 
here to the ftalk by a broad bafe, whence they 
diminifh gradually to a point: they are alfo of a- 
pale^ dufty yellow colour. 
The flowers grow in a thick, fhort fpike at the 
top of ihe ftalk, with many of thefe filmy leaves ■ 
among them ; they are for t!ie moft part covered 
by thefe films, and rarely come to perfedion, 
excepting one which terminates the clufter, and 
is more open to the air: the top ufuaily bends 
down, but, when the plant is well nourifhedj it 
will fometimes Hand quite upright. 
The flower is of the fame yellow colour with 
the rcfl; of the plantj and, when nicely examined, 
is found to have the ten petals difpofed in two 
feries; the five inner petals are narrower j the 
five outer ones broader, arid protuberant on 
■the outfide at the bale; witliin there is a hol- 
low, containing the honey juice: thefe arc the 
petals fome have called leaves of a cup ; but 
tlicir ufe in carrying this Iwiret licjuor fliews them 
to be a part of the flower. 
When the other flowers ripen, theyconfifl: of 
fewer petals, and are fmaller: the number ufuaily 
is eight, fometimes lefs than that. 
The Iced velTel is large, and the feeds are very 
fmall. 
We have it in fome large woods in England, 
but it is not common. Dr. Plot found it in 
Oxfordiliire; Dr. Maningham in Suflex j and Mr. 
Doody in Hertfordfliire. I iliewed it In great 
plenty, in |:he year 1745, to the Duke of Rich- 
mond in Charlton foreft, Suffex, whence we en- 
deavoured to make it live in Goodwood gardens, 
but in vain; we tried it in many parts of t!\e 
flielcered grounds, but it all failed : though, not 
improbably, fome may have fmcc rifen there from 
the fcattered feeds. We found the truth of Mr. 
Ray's obfervation, that it begins to fmell fweet 
when it is fading, and not while in its vigour : 
the fcent is agreeable, but very Angular. 
Mr. Ray eried in the placing of this plant: 
he has put it among thofe with four-leavcd flowers 
and a fingle capfulc. 
Ray calls it Bypoptys liitea. Plot, IlypopUys 
lutea 'UcrhafcuU adore. 
DIVISION 11. FOREIGN SPECIES. 
I. Hollow-leaved Hypopitys. 
Bypopitys folits cavis. 
The root is fmall, fliort, thick, notched, and 
Vhite. 
No more than the root is buried in the ground 
in this fpecies ; the whole plant being above 
the furface, in the ufua! manner. 
The flalks are round, flendcr, of a pale brown 
colour, and about four inches high. 
The leaves are placed irregularly upon them ; 
and they are oblong, narrow at the bafe, broader 
to the end, and hollowed in the manner of a fpoon. 
They are of the fame brown colour with the 
llalk. 
The flowers fland in a fhort fpike at the top, 
and are not buried among the leaves that rife 
there, but have fhort footfl;alks that thrufl; them 
forward, and keep them clear. 
They are fmall, and of a fainter colour than 
the reft of the plant. 
The feed-veflTel is large and ribbed; and the 
feeds are very minute. 
It is a native of Virginia, and flowers in 
Auguft:. 
Plukenet calls it Orohanche Verhafculi odore ; 
and fuppofes it to be the fame with the prrced- 
-ingi buterroneoufly. 
S.'Hypopitys with rounded leaves. 
" " Hypopitys foliis Jnhrotundis, 
- The root confifts of a few ftraggUng, irregular 
fibres. 
The ftalk is round, flendcr, upright, and in 3 
manner naked till near the top: its colour is a 
pale yellow, and it is never at all branched: the 
height is about fix inches. 
Toward the bottom of the flalk there flrand a 
few very fmall films infl:cad of leaves : thcfc are 
placed irregularly, and at confiderablc diflances. 
A little higher up thefe films grow larger, and 
are fet in pairs; and near the top they fpread 
into fmall, rounded leaves, placed alfo in p.iirs. 
The flowers fliand at the top of the fl;alk ii. 
a fmali tuft, or fliort, thick fpike : two of the' 
rounded leaves are fltuated jufl; under the fii' 
and ufuaily there are many others among 
flowers. 
The flowers themfelves are fmall and ye)io-.v : 
the feed-veffels alfo are fmall, oval, and llriated - 
and the feeds are very minute. 
It is common in the woods of North America, 
and flowers in July. 
Plukenet calls it Orohanche Virginiana radice 
fibrofa fumma c auk foliis fubrotundis. The exter- 
nal appearance of thefe plants has occafioned moft 
authors to confound them in name with the 
orohanche^ or hroomrafc, though the flowers are 
fo perfedily different. 
3. Hypopitys with a fingle drooping flower," 
Hypopitys fore foUtario nutante. 
The root is fmall and inconfiderable. 
The flalk is thick, tender, upright, four inches 
high, of a pale yellowifli colour, and covered 
with little films by way of leaves. 
2 Thefe 
