BETONiCA INCA'NA. 
HOARY BETONY. 
Class. Order. 
DIDVNAMIA. <: VMNOSPERMIA. 
Natural Order. 
LABIATAS . 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Introdiiceil 
Italy. 
9 inches. 
June, July. 
Perennial. 
! in 1759. 
No. 312. 
The word Betonica is a corruption of vettonica, 
which originated in Vettones, the name of an ancient 
people of Spain; who, according to Pliny, first noticed 
its virtues. Incana, from the Latin, hoary. 
It is supposed that the vettonica of the heathen 
Europeans was a species of our serratula, to which 
.superstition attributed the most unaccountable pro- 
perties. An ancient writer described it as of so glo- 
rious a quality, that whatever house it were planted 
round, would thereby be put imder the protection of 
their gods. That the commission of crimes in such 
domicile would not incur their vengeance, nor require 
a propitiatory sacrifice. Thus the Betonica may 
serve to remind us of the superstition which existed 
at the period of the Christian era ; and of the blessings 
which Christianity diffused by the annihilation of such 
infatuated doctrines. 
The Betonica incana forms a desirable variety 
amongst herbaceous plants ; and it would secure much 
more of the admiration of the superficial observer, 
did it not, rather intimately, resemble some of our 
generally known indigenous plants. It requires no 
peculiarity of management. 
Hort. Kew. 2, v. 3, 39B. 
