tenuifolia, Johnson’s Gerarde, p. 247, with a figure. — Lob. Ic. p. 205, with a 
figure. — Valencia Cress, Petiv. H. Brit. t. 50. f. 5. 
Localities. — In sandy fields, but very rave. — Wiltshire /Found by Mr. Lawson 
on Salisbury Plain, not far from Stonehenge : Ray, (1690). Not found there since 
Annual. — Flowers in June. Don says in February and March, 
in gardens. 
Root small, tapering, fibrous. Stem upright, from 3 to 9 inches 
high, branched, leafy, rough with deflexed bristles. Leaves scat- 
tered, doubly pinnatifid, with strap-shaped, bluntish, decurrent 
segments. Racemes opposite the leaves, upright, elongated ; pedi- 
cels short, thread-shaped, without bracteas. Flowers small. Calyx 
(see fig. 1 .) tubular, shining, purplish, closed with the sepals con- 
verging longitudinally. Petals (see fig. 2.) inversely heart-shaped, 
entire, pale yellow, with deep purple veins, and very slender claws. 
Pouch (silicle) (see fig. 4.) pendulous, nearly globular, 2-celled, 
and 2-valved ; valves crustaceous, with 3 raised, bristly ribs, on 
the outside ; polished and shining within. Partition parallel to 
the valves, very thin, and almost transparent, surmounted by the 
egg-shaped, curved, smooth, ribbed, rigid style. Seeds 3 or 4 in 
each cell, nearly globular, angular, of a dark rusty-colour ; De- 
candolle remarks, that they became covered with a glutinous 
exudation, on being immersed in warm water. The expanded 
cotyledons, remaining for some time on the stem, are inversely 
heart-shaped, flat, quite smooth and even. See Sm. Engl. FI. and 
Mart. Mill. Gard. Diet., Sfc. 
This curious little plant is a native in sandy and waste fields, 
and along way and wall sides in Spain, Balearic Islands, Mauri- 
tania, Sicily, Greece, and Syria. In England it is a very doubtful 
native, having been found only once, as recorded above. The 
whole herb is acrid and pungent to the taste, and might, if required, 
be used as a condiment. 
The drawing for the accompanying plate was made from a well 
preserved specimen in the Sherardian Herbarium. 
“ Stoop where thou wilt, thy eareless hand 
Rome random bud will meet : 
Thou canst not tread but thou wilt find 
The daisy at thy feet. 
’Tis like the birthday of the world, 
When earth was born in bloom ; 
The light is made of many dyes. 
The air is all perfume ; 
There’s crimson buds, and white and blue — 
The very rainbow show’rs 
Have turn’d to blossoms where they fell. 
And sown the earth with flow’r3.” 
T. Meadows. 
