BATSCHIA CANESCENS. 
(Canesceat Puceoon.) 
Class. Order. 
PENTANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
BORAGIN ACEjE. 
( Borage-worts, Veg. King.) 
Generic Character.— Calyx five-cleft. Corolla 
salver-shaped; tube longer than the calyx, bearded by 
a ring of hairs inside at the base ; mouth naked. 
Anthers inclosed. Nuts four, one-celled, ovate, smooth, 
shining, fixed to the bottom of the calyx, imperforated 
at the base. — Don's Syst., 4, 326. 
Specific Character. — Plant an herbaceous perennial, 
every part covered with a hoary downiness. Stems 
erect, divided towards the top into two leafy racemes. 
Leaves linear-oblong, obtuse, emarginate at the top, 
when old, scabrous. Flowers nearly sessile, produced 
in short, terminal, bracteate, almost fastigiate racemes ; 
of a bright orange- yellow. Calyx five-cleft ; segments 
linear, acute, rather short, of a pale-green. Corolla ; 
tube twice the length of the calyx, pilous outside, 
mouth contracted by five obtuse gibbosities ; limb five- 
lobed ; lobes rounded, entire. Stamens five, seated in 
the middle of the tube of the corolla. Style one, longer 
than the stamens. Ovary four-lobed. 
Authorities and Synonymes. — Batschia Michaux, 
Flor. Bor. Amer., 1, p. 133. Don's Syst., 4, p. 325; 
Batschia canescens Michaux, Fl. Amer. Bor., 1, p. 130 ; 
Anchusa canescens Muhlenberg's Catalogue, p. 19 ; 
Lithospermum canescens Lehmann's Asperifol., p. 305; 
Anchusa virginiana Linn. Syst, p. 191. 
This pretty perennial is a native of Virginia, Carolina, and some other parts of 
North America, where it grows in light sandy soil, on dry and sunny hills. In 
height, it varies from one to two feet, according to the situation it occupies, and 
produces its rich orange flowers in profusion from May to July. 
The roots of all the species of Batschia are covered with a red substance, and 
afford a beautiful crimson colour ; that which is collected from our present species 
is the true Indian Puceoon, although the " Blood-root " {Sanguinaria canadensis) is 
commonly known as the Puceoon of Canada, but the colour obtained from it is very 
inferior to that supplied by the subject of our plate. 
For the opportunity of figuring this rare and useful plant, we are indebted to 
Mr. Edward Leeds, of St. Ann's, Manchester, to whom it was sent, in the autumn 
of 1847, by Mr. John Goldie, who found it in Canada. 
It is perfectly hardy, and, being a very free-flowerer, of a moderate height, and 
of the easiest management, may be included amongst the most useful of our border 
plants, requiring only a light, sandy soil, and a dry airy situation. 
