4 6 
WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES * 
2. Tuberous Comfrey. (Symphytum tuberosum. Linn.)— A similar but much 
smaller species, with small, few-flowered clusters ; more slender and not such erect stems, only 
i foot high, and neither branched nor winged, and the leaves egg-shaped and hardly continued 
down the stem. 
Rare. In woods and damp shady places in central and northern England, southern Scotland, and 
in Ireland reported from Ulster and Cork. June — July. Perennial. 
VI. SMOOTH GROMWELL. (MERTEN'SIA. Roth.) — Flowers blue or white, pink in bud, in 
i -sided clusters coiled in bud. Calyx of 5 rather spreading sepals, united only at the base, free 
from and inserted below the seedcase (inferior) ; corolla of 5 petals, united into a funnel-shaped 
tube, the throat of which is not closed by scales but has 5 minute bosses, spreading into 5 lobes, 
inserted below the seedcase (hypogynous) ; stamens 5, protruding beyond the tube but shorter 
than the lobes of the corolla, inserted in the corolla-tube (epi-petalous) ; carpels 2 with the stigma 
not divided ; fruit of 4 rather fleshy little nuts, attached to the flat receptacle. Herbs often 
smooth and without hairs (glabrous), and sometimes having a strong bluish bloom (glaucous)- 
( Pneuviaria . Hill.) 
Seaside Smooth Gromwell, Oyster-plant. (Merten'sia marit'ima. S. F. Gray.) 
— The only British species. As just described, with clusters of bright blue flowers which are rose- 
colour in bud ; procumbent, much branched, fleshy stems, from 6 inches to 2 feet long, densely 
covered with thick, fleshy, egg-shaped leaves, which are covered with hard dots, the lower ones 
stalked and the upper stalkless. The whole plant is thick and fleshy, without hairs, and covered 
with a bluish bloom, and when fresh is said to taste of oysters. ( Pneumaria maritima. Hill.) 
\Plate 17. 
Rare. On the sea-shore, growing on shingle and sand. Very rare in England ; it occurs on 
the north coast of Wales, Anglesey, and up to Cumberland ; more common in Scotland, where it 
extends north to Orkney and Shetland ; local in Ireland on the eastern and northern coasts. 
May — June. Perennial. 
VII. *ALKANET. (ANCHUSA. Linn.) — Flowers purple, blue, or rarely yellow, with a bract 
below each flower, in i-sided clusters coiled in bud (scorpioid racemes). Calyx of 5 sepals, united 
only at the base, free from and inserted below the seedcase (inferior) ; corolla of 5 petals, 
united into a straight funnel-shaped tube and spreading into a flat 5-lobed salver-shaped limb, the 
throat of the tube being closed with 5 prominent blunt scales, inserted below the seedcase 
(hypogynous) ; stamens 5, very short, included in and inserted upon the corolla-tube ; carpels 2 ; 
fruit of 4 wrinkled angular little nuts, attached by the base to the flat receptacle. Hairy plants 
with soft or bristle-like hairs and alternate entire leaves. 
(1) ^Common Alkanet. (Anchusa officinalis.) — Flowers violet; corolla-tube long; leaves 
narrow, oblong. 
(2) ^Evergreen Alkanet. (Anchusa sempemrens.) — Flowers blue ; corolla-tube short ; leaves 
broader, egg-shaped. 
1. ^Common Alkanet. (Anchusa officinalis. Linn.)— As just described. The 
flowers are violet, in forked clusters ; the sepals are narrow and very hairy, longer than the 
corolla-tube ; the scales in the throat of the corolla are hairy; the stems are 1-2 feet high, angular, 
and softly hairy, and the leaves are narrow or oblong, entire, and softly hairy, the upper ones 
stalkless and half clasping the stem and the lower ones with very short stalks. 
