The BRITISH HERBAL. 
361 
GENUS XI. 
W O O D - B E T O N Y. 
B E T O N I C A. 
THE flower is formed of a linglc petal : this is tubular, and crooked at the bottom, and gapes in 
a labiated manner at the top. The upper lip is fmall and undivided, and is placed ered ; the 
lower lip is divided into three IVgmenis ; of which the middle one is largeft, and is nipped at the end. 
The cup is formed of a fingle piece ; and is tubular, and dented in five places at the rim. The feeds 
are four after each flower, and they ftand naked in the cup. 
Linnajus places this among the didynamia gymmffirmia ; two of the four filaments in the flower 
being longer than the others, and the feeds naked. 
DIVISION I. 
BRITISH SPECIES. 
Wood-Betony. 
Bttonica fyhijiris vulgaris. 
The root is brown and fibrous. 
The firft leaves are numerous, and of a dark 
green : each has its feparate footftalk, which is 
long and flender ; and they are fupported tole- 
rably upright. They are oblong, broad, indented, 
and obtufe ; and they are a little hollowed where 
the ftalk is inferred. 
The ftalks are numerous, fquare, upright, and 
a foot or more in height : there ufijally are placed 
on each flalk two pairs of leaves, one pair near 
the root, and the other at the top : thofe near 
the root refemble the firft leaves, which rife 
fiiigly ; but the others are narrower. 
The flowers grow at the tops of the ftalks in 
an interrupted fpike ; and they are moderately 
large, and of a beautiful purple. 
The feeds are fmall, oval, and brown. 
It is common in our woods, and among bufhes. 
It flowers ill June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Bc£onUa purpurea. Others, 
Bslonica Jylvejlris. 
It is a celebrated medicine in cephalick cafes; 
The dry tops powdered are good in inveterate 
headachs, and the fame given in lorm of infu- 
fion againfl: obftrU(ftions ' of the vifcera. Some 
alfo take the leaves powdered in form of fnufl^ 
for headachs ; and others have them chopped fmall, 
and fmoak them in the manner of tobacco. 
DIVISION II. 
FOREIGN SPECIES. 
Long-fpiked Betony. 
Betcr.ica fpka loTigiore. 
The root is compofcd of many fibres, rifing 
from a fmall head. 
The firfl: leaves are numerous, and fupported 
on long, flender footftalks : they are oblong, 
narrow, dented at the edges, and p intcd at the 
ends. 
The ftalk is upright, fquare, and brown. 
The leaves on it are narrower than thofe from 
the root, and of a paler green. 
The flowers ftand at the top in a very long^ 
flender fpike ; and are ot a deep purple. 
The feeds are large, oblong, and redifh. 
It is frequent in the warmer parts of Europe, 
and flowers in .-lUguft. 
C. B.iuhine calls \x.Betonu.e fdia capitulo elope- 
curi. 
GENUS XII. 
BASE H O A R H O U N D. 
s t A c n r s. 
f'T' HE flower is formed of a fingle petal, and is of the labiated kind. The tubular part at the 
X bottom is fliort ; and the mouth is oblong, and fwellcd out toward the bale. The upper lip 
is of an oval figure, and of an arched fliape : the lower lip is turned back ; it is divided into three 
ferments, the middle one of which is the largeft. The cup is tubular, angulated, and divided at 
the ed'^^e iiCO five parts. The feeds are oblong and angulated ; four fucceed each flower, and they 
ftand naked in the cup. 
LinnKus places this among the didynamia gwmfpermia ; the flower having two threads longer than 
the others, and the feeds ftanding naked. He joins the galcopfis, as before oblcrvcd, under this 
name ; but they are really diftindl. 
N° 36. 
