376 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
1. Common Stoechas. 
Sl^schas vulgaris. 
The root is woody, and compofcd of nume- 
rous fibres, conneded to an oblong head. 
The plant riles in form of a fmall fhrub, two 
feet high, and divided into many branches. 
Thefe are fquare while young ; but they lofe 
that form as they grow older and harder. 
The leaves are oblong, narrow, of a whitiHi 
colour, and of a very fragrant fme!!. 
The fiowers grow in thick, fhorc fpikes ; form- 
ing with their cups, and the leaves which fup- 
port them, a kind of fcaly head ; at the top of 
which ftands a very beautiful leaf, of a deep 
purple. 
'1 he Howers are fmall and purple; and the 
whole head has a very fine fmell, and a highly 
aromatick talle. 
It is a native of France, Spain, and Italy; and 
is alfo abundant in the Eaft, It flowers in 
July- 
C. Bauhine calls it Slitcbas purpurea. Others, 
Sl{schas Arahica^ and Spicn hortenfis. Our people 
call it /Fabian ftischas, Cajfidon^^ and Ibme French 
lavender. 
The fpikes of ilowcrs fliould be gathered for " 
ufe juft before thiy come into full bloom. They 
poffefs the fame virtues with lavender; but they 
are more cordial, and of a lighter and moreaorce- 
abie HavoLir. 
2. Jagged-leaved Stcechas. 
Slcedms fcliis denlatij. 
The root is long, thick, woody, and hung 
round with abundance of fibres. 
The plant is fhrubby, very much branched, 
and two feet high. 
The leaves are very beautiful : they are ob- 
long, narrow, and deeply fcrrated or notched 
all along the edges. Their colour on the upper 
fide is a lively green, and on the under part they 
are whitilh : the edges often turn, and appear 
curled. The whole leaf has a vci-y fragrant fmeli 
and aromatick talfe. 
The flowers are placed in thick, (liort fpikes, 
in the mannerof thofc of the common Jlxchas ; and 
they are fmall and purple. 
The fpike is in the fame manner terminated by 
a purple head, which is formed of three or four 
irregular leaves. 
It is a native of the warmer parts of Europe, 
and flowers in Junej 
C. Bauhine calls it Su-chas folio ferrato. 
N U 
IV. 
ROSEMARY. 
ROSMARINUS. 
THE flower is labiated, and is formed of a fingle petal. The tubular part is longer than the 
cup. The upper iip is fmall, and is fplit into two parts, the edges of which turn back. The 
under lip is large, and turns back : it is divided into three fegments ; the middle one of which is 
largeft, and is hollowed. The cup is divided into two lips. The feeds are four after every flower 
and they Hand naked in the cup. ' 
Linn^us places this among the diandria mom^ 
ftyle fingle. 
the ilu.M'Js in the flower being two, and the 
Common Rofemary. 
Rofmarinus vulgaris. 
The root is woody, long, divided, and hung 
with numerous fibres. 
The plant rifes into a fmall flirub: the ftem 
is woody, and is covered with a brown, rough 
bark. The young flioots are of a greyifh green. 
The leaves are numerous, and of a firm fub- 
ftance : they are oblong, narrow, lliarp-pointed, 
rot at all indented at the edges, and of a very 
fragrant fmell : they are of a very beautiful 
green on the upper fide, and of a filvery grey un- 
derneath. 
The flowers rife In great numbers from the bo- 
foms of the leaves toward the upper part of the 
branches : they are large, and of a pale blue, va- 
riegated with white. 
The feeds are fmall, and of an oblong fliape. 
The whole plant has a fragrant and aromatick 
fmell : it is lighter, and more delicate in the 
flowers, and ftrongcr in the leaves. The tafle 
alfo is warn-, ana aromatick, and not difagree- 
able. ^ 
It is a native of the warmer parts of Europe, 
and flowers in fpring. * 
C. Bauhine calls it Rofmarinus hortenfis nnguf- 
tiore folio. Others, Anthos ; and fome, Liba- 
nolis coronaria. 
It is a flirub of very confiderable virtues. 
It is excellent in all nervous diforders, againfl; 
vertigoes, dizzinefs of the head, and tremblings 
of the hmbs. For this purpofe no form of ^. 
ving it is better than a conferve made of the ten- 
der tops frefli gathered, and beat up with fugar. 
It is alfo good againll obftruftions of the vif- 
cera, and in paralytick diforders. 
Hungary-water is made by diftilling a pure 
fpirit from the tops of this plant, or in a coarfer 
way, by mixing a few drops of its oil in fuch 
a fpirit. 
s 
GENUS 
