The BRITISH HERBAL. 
393 
SERIES 11. 
ForeignGenera. 
Thofe of which there is no fpecies naturally wild in this country. 
, GENUS I. 
A L K A N E T. 
A N C H U S J. 
THE flower is formed of a fingle peta! : it is tubular at the bafe, and fllghtiy divided at the edge 
into five rounded fL-gments ; and the hollow part is open, not clofed, by fcales, as in feme 
other genera. The cup is formed of a fingle piece: it is tubular, and is divided into five narrow- 
parts at the rim. The feeds are four in number after every flower ; and they are oblong, pointed, 
fmooth and hard. 
Linnxus places this among iht penlandria momgynia ; the threads in the flower being five, and the 
flylc fingle. 
He makes a flrange confufion in the fcience in this article i for he take away from this plant the 
name alkamt^ anchufa^ which he iifes as the generica! term for buglofs ; and he places this among 
the grotnioelis^ making it a fpecies of that genus. 
The diftmaioiis are fuificient in Nature; and the plant may much more properly retain its received 
and anticnt name. 
Scarlet Alkanet. 
Anchiifa fioribus ruhentihus. 
The root is long, thick, and of a fine glow- 
ing red colour. 
The firft leaves are numerous, and fpread 
themfelves in a round tufc : they are cblong, 
narrow, rough, of a dufl<.y green, and not at all 
indented at the edges. 
The (talks are numerous, round, hairy, divi- 
ded into branches, and a foot high. 
The leaves are placed alternately on them ; and 
they are oblong, narrow, of a deep green, and 
hairy. 
The flowers are numerous, and very beautiful : 
they Hand in long feries at the tops of all the 
branches and they are large, and of a glowing 
fcarlct colour. 
The feeds arc' fmall and hard. 
It is a native of the Eaft, but is found alfo in 
feveral of the warmer parts of Europe. It flov/ers 
in Auguft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Ancbiija pun'ceis fioribus. 
Others, Ancbufa 'vulgaris, and Anchufa ojficina' 
rum. 
The root Is aflringent, but is not much ufed 
as a medicine. It gives fcarkt tinge to oil, and 
is therefore employed for various purpofes where 
a fine colour is required, without any great vir- 
tues. 
G E N U S II: 
TURNSOLE. 
II E L I O T R 0 P I V M. 
'T^HE flower is coinpoietl of a fingle petal : it is tubular at the bottom, divided into five irregular 
fegments at the rim, and has the opening covered with five little fcaly appendages, which con- 
verc^e together fo as to form a Icind of ftar. The cup is formed of a fingle piece : it is tubular, di- 
vided at the edge into five fegments, and remains when the flower is fallen. The feeds are four, and 
of an oval figure : they ftand naked in the cup, which remains unaltered. 
L.inn!cus places this among the fentandria inonogynia ; the threads in the flower being five, and the 
ftyle fingle. 
I . Great Turnfole. 
Ileliotrophm majus. 
The root is long, tliick, and hard. 
The ft.dk is uptight, divided into branches^ 
and about eight inches high : it is hairy, hollow, 
and of a pale green. 
The leaves are placed irregularly, and have 
N" as- 
long footfl:alks ; they are oblong, broad, obtufe, 
not indented,' and of a pale green colour. 
The flowers ftand at the tops of all the branches 
in long, flendcr fpikes, intcrmi.xed with little, 
woolly leaves : they are fmall and white ; and 
thtfe fpikes turn back at the ends, twifting like 
our moufe-ear fcorpion-grafs. 
The feeds are grey, hard, and fmooth. 
5 H It 
