390 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
G E N U S VII. 
G R O M W E L L. 
LI'TBOSPERMUM, 
THE flower is formed of a fingle petal : it is tubular at the bottom, and divided into five oTituIfc 
fegments at the edge ; and the hollow is open, not clofed by fcales, as in many of the other 
genera. The cup is formed of a fingle piece, and is divided into five hollowed, pointed fegments. 
The feeds are four after every flower : they are fmooth and hard, and they ftand naked in the cup. 
Linnsus places this among the pentandria momgynia ; the threads in the flower being five, and'thtf 
flyle fingle. 
DIVISION I. BRITISH SPECIES. 
I. Common Gromwell. 
Lithofpermum vulgare. 
The root is long, thick, and furnifhed with a 
few fibres. 
The ftalk is round, firm, upright, and divided 
toward the top into numerous branches. 
The leaves are placed alternately ; and they 
have no footftalks : they are oblong, rough, and 
of a dulky green. 
The flowers ftand in the bofoms of the leaves 
all the way up the tops of the branches; and they 
are fmall and white. 
The feeds are white, glofly, extremely hard, 
and naked. 
It is common by road-fides, and in dry paf- 
tures. It flowers in July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Lithojpermum majus ereHmn* 
Others, Liibojpermum vulgare. 
The feeds of this plant are excellent againfi: 
the gravel : they operate powerfully by urine. 
2. Creeping Gromwell. 
Litbofpermum fiore pmpurafcmte. 
The root is longj (lender, and hung round 
with a few ihort fibres. 
The flalks are numerous and weak : they are, 
hairy, and of a dark green colour in the lower 
part ; where they lie upon the ground, and fre- 
quendy fend out fmall fibres by way of roots. 
The leaves are placed alternately ; and they are 
oblong, narrow, and of a deep green. 
The flowers ftand at the tops of the branches j- 
and they are large, and of a deep purple. 
The feeds are rough and whitifti. 
We have it in barren grounds in the weft of- 
England, but not common. It ilowers in Au- 
C. Bauhine calls it Lithofpemum minus rcpens 
htifolium. Others, Lithofpermum majus Do- 
donai. 
DIVISION 11. FOREIGN SPECIES. 
Shrubby Gromwell. 
Lithofpermum frutkofum. 
.The root is long, thick, and furnifhcd with a 
great many flender fibres. 
The ftalk is woody, firm, and divided into 
many branches. 
The leaves are placed irregularly : in fome 
parts they ftand fingly, and alternate, and in 
others they rife three, four, or more together: 
they are oblong, hairy, and of a dufliy green. 
The flowers rife from the bofom of the leaves 5 
and they are fmall. 
The feeds are. hard, fmooth, and whitilli. 
It is a native of the Greek ifiands, and of many- 
of the warmer parts of Europe. It flowers in 
June. 
C. Bauhine calls it Anchufa aaguJlifoUa. Others, 
Anchufa arborea. 
Its feeds are celebrated in the Eaft in nephritick 
diforders. 
GENUS VIII. 
MOUSE-EAR SCORPION-GRASS. 
rpHE flower is formed of a fingle peul ; it is tubular at the bottom, and divided into five obtufe 
fegments at the rim. The opening is covered by five little fcales. The cup is tubular, oblong, 
and divided into five fegments at the edge. The feeds are four after every flower; and they ftand 
naked in the cup, which grows larger to receive them. The leaves are oblong. The flowers grow 
jn long, twifted feries ; and the feeds are gloffy. 
Linnseus places this among the pmtandria monogpiia > the threads in the flower being five, and the 
ftyle fingle. 
D I V r- 
