The BRITISH HERBAL. 
23s 
tuft : they are long, narrow, of a pale greyifh 
green, and foft to the touch : they have no foot- 
ftalks : they are fliarp-pointed ; and they have 
each one or two indentings at the edge. 
The ftalks rife in the centre of this tuft, and 
are round, weak, and divided into many branches : 
they are fix or eight inches high, and their co- 
lour is a pale green. 
The leaves ftand alternately, and refemble 
thofe from the root : they are long and narrow, 
and have ufually a fingle indenting. 
The fiOwers ftand at tlie tops, and are fni.ill, 
and of a pleafing colour, a faint purple, 
The feed-vefTcls are long and knotty, or as i^ 
were jointed. 
The feeds are oval and very frnall. 
It is a native of the Spanifh fea-coaft, and 
flowers in April. 
C. Bauhine calls it Lcucoium waritmum mhii- 
mmn. Tourncfort hsucoium vernum foiiis eruca. 
GENUS jr. 
DAMES VIOLET. 
H E S P E R I S. 
THE flower is formed of four petals regularly difpofed, and terminated by narrow bafes ; 
the cup is cotnpofed of four narrow-pointed leaves gaping below ; two of which are large at the 
bafe ; and it fails with the flower: the feed-veffel is long, flender, comprefled, ftriatcd, and often 
crooked, or twifted, and fingly pointed ; and the feeds are oval and comprelTed. 
Linnsus places this among the tetradymmia fiUquofa ; the threads in the flower being Ha, fijur 
of which are longer than the others ; and die feed-veiTel a long pod. 
The Englifh name of this genus being much difufed, it will be enough for the fludca!; to know 
there is fuch a one, and more convenient to ufe the Latin, befperis. 
BRITISH SPECIES. 
DIVISION I. 
J. Wild Hefperis. 
Jlefperis vulgaris. 
The root is compofed of many thick fibres. 
The firft leaves are very numerous, long, nar- 
row, and of a dufky green: they are fliarp- 
pointed, fomewhat indented at the edges, and 
have ihort footilalks. 
The ftalk is fingle, upright, firm, and not at 
all branched, unlefs when luxuriant in the growth, 
and then only toward the top. 
The leaves are large and oblong : they are of a 
deep dufl<y green, and are broadeft at the bafe, 
lharp-pointed, and dented at the edges: thofe to- 
ward the top of the plant have no footfl:alks ; and 
thofe on the lower part have ihort ones. 
The flowers are large and beautiful : they 
are of a purplifli colour, fometimes very faint, 
fometimes deeper, and fometimes altogether white. 
The fecd-veflels are flender and flatted, and 
often twifted ; and the feeds are oval and fmall. 
It is a native of our northern counties, Cum- 
berland and Weftmoreland ; and flowers in May. 
C. Bauhine calls it Hefperis fyhejiris inodora ; 
and moft defcribe it under the name of Hefperis 
kortenjts : for there is no fpecifick difference in 
the two plants. In our gardens, by the afliftance 
of culture, the flowers become larger, fl:riped, 
and doubled. Our gardeners, not very nice or 
careful about names, call it rocket i and in thefe 
appearances the Striped rocket^ and Doi'Me rocket, 
2 . Jack by the hedge. 
Hefperis allium redolens. 
The root is long, whliifh, irregularly con. 
tortedj and divided into fevcral parts. 
The firft leaves are roundilli, but Indented for 
the ftalk, and flightly nicked at the edge;; : they 
rife in a clufter, fix or eight together, and have 
long, flender footftalks. 
The ftalk is round, firm, upright, of a yel- 
lowifli green, fcarce at all branched, and three 
feet hight. 
The leaves are broad, fliort, and heait-falhioned. 
The flowers grow at the tops of the ftalks, 
and are much lefs than thofe ot the preceding, 
and of a lovely milk white. 
The feed-veffel is long and flender; and the 
feeds are brown. 
It is common under iiedges, and flowers in 
May. 
Ray calls it Hefperis cTium redokfjs. Moft 
others, Alliaria, from its flavour of g.irlick inf 
the tafte, and lightly in the fmell. 
Linnaeus feparates this from the hefperis kind, 
and makes it a fpecies of eryfimum. The difi'e- 
rence is not very eflential and, as phe plant is 
known by this name, we have preferred keeping 
it in this place. 
The garden hefperis, which does not difier from 
the firft of thefe wild ones, otherwife than by 
culture, is highly celebrated in Germany as 
wound herb. 
The common alliaria, laft defcribed, is eaten by 
our country people with their bread and butter^ 
and is very wholefome. 
Its juice, taken a fpoonful at a time, is excel' 
lent againft obftruflions of the vifcera ; it works 
by urine. In fome places ic is a conftant ingre- 
dient in clyfter.5. 
P I V {- 
