SAP 
expofed to the open air in July, and thereby dinted 
in their growth, continued their leaves frefh all the 
winter. Thefe were placed in a dove upon dielves, 
where the warmth was very moderate, with which 
thefe plants will thrive better than in a greater heat. 
The third fort is much more hardy than either of the 
other : this may be placed in a good green-houfe in 
the autumn, where it will live through the winter, 
and in dimmer fhould be expofed to the open air in 
a Iheltered fituation, where it will thrive very well. 
SAPONARIA. Lin. Gen. Plant. 449. Lychnis. 
Tourn. Ind. R. H. 333. tab. 175. Sopewort. 
The Characters are, 
The flower has a permanent empalement of one leaf, which 
is cut into five points. It has five petals whofie tails are 
narrow , angular, and the length of the empalement ; 
their borders are broad , obtufe and plain. It has ten 
awl-fhaped fiamina the length of the tube of the flower , 
which are alternately infer ted into the petals, and are ter- 
minated by obtufe profir ate fimmits , and a taper germen 
fupporting two ere It parallel flyles , crowned by acute flig- 
rnas. floe germen afterward becomes a clofe capfule the 
length of the empalement , having one cell filled with finall 
feeds. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the fecond fedtion 
of Linneeus’s tenth clafs, which includes thofe plants 
whofe flowers have ten damina and two dyles. 
The Species are, 
1. Saponaria ( Officinalis ) calycibus cylindricis, foliis 
ovato-lanceolatis. Hort. Cliff. 1 65. Sopewort with cy- 
lindrical empalements, and oval fpear-fhaped leaves. 
Lychnis fylvedris que faponaria vulgo. Tourn. Ind. 
336. Wild Campion , vulgarly called Sopewort. 
2. Saponaria (Hybrida) calycibus Cylindricis, foliis ova- 
tis nervofis lemiamplexicaulibus. Sopewort with cylin- 
drical empalement s, and oval veined leaves half embracing 
the ftalks. Lychnis faponaria didta, folio convoluto. 
RaiiSyn. 339. Campion , called Sopewort, withatwifl- 
ed leaf. 
3. Saponaria ( 'Vaccaria ) calycibus pyramidatis quin- 
quangularibus, foliis oblongo-ovatis acuminatis fefli- 
libus. Hort. Cliff. 166. Sopewort with pyramidal five- 
cornered empalements, and oblong , oval , acute-pointed 
leaves. Lychnis fegetum rubra, foliis perfoliatas. 
C. B. P. 204. Red Corn Campion , with "Thorough-wax 
leaves. 
4. Saponaria ( Amplicimus ) calycibus pyramidatis quin- 
quangularibus, foliis ovato-lanceolatis, femiamplexi- 
caulibus. Sopewort with pyramidal five-cornered empale - 
ments , and oval fpear-fhaped leaves , half embracing the 
fialks. Lychnis fegetum rubra, foliis perfoliatae am- 
plioribus. Juff. Red Corn Campion , with larger Thorough- 
wax leaves. 
5. Saponaria (Orientals) calycibus cylindricis villofls, 
caule dichotoma eredto patulo. Hort. Upfal. 106. 
Sopewort with cylindrical hairy empale ments, and ere It 
fpreading fialks which are divided by pairs. Lychnis 
Orientalis annua fupina, antirrhini folio, flore mini- 
mo purpurafcente. Tourn. Cor. 25. Low annual Eafi- 
ern Sopewort , with a Snap-dragon leaf, and the leaf pur- 
plifh flower. 
The fird fort is the common Sopewort of the diops ; 
this grows naturally in many parts of England, and 
is rarely admitted into gardens ; it has a creeping 
root which fpreads far on every fide, fo as in a fnort 
time to fill a large fpace of ground, from which arife 
many purplifh dalks about a foot and a half high, 
which are jointed, and garnifhed with oppofite leaves 
at each ; thefe are oval, fpear-fhaped, and fmooth, 
about three inches long, and an inch and a half broad, 
ending in points ; they have three longitudinal veins 
on their under fide, and are of a pale green. The 
foot-dalks of the flowers arife from the wings of the 
leaves oppofite they fudain four, five, or more pur- 
plifli flowers each, which have generally two fmall 
leaves placed under them. The dalk is alfo termi- 
nated by a loofe bunch of flowers growing In form of 
an umbel •, they have each a large fwelling cylindrical 
empalement, and five broad obtufe petals which fpread 
open, and are of a purple colour. Thefe appear in 
SAP 
July, and are fucceeded by oval capfules with one 
cell, filled with fmall feeds. 
The leaves of this plant are fometimes ufed in medi- 
cine ; they are accounted opening and attenuating, 
and fomewhat fudorfic, fo are by fome recommend- 
ed againfi the lues venerea, and Qutwardly applied 
they help hard tumours and whidoes. The decoc- 
tion of this plant is ufed to cleanfe and fcour wooL 
len cloths: the .poor people in fame countries ufe it 
inffead of fope for waffling, from whence it had its 
title. 
There is a variety of this with double flowers, which 
is preferved in gardens, but the roots are very apt to 
fpread far on every fide if they are not confined, fo 
thefe plants fhould not be placed in borders among 
better flowers •, but as the flowers continue in fuc- 
ceflion from July to the middle of September, fo a 
few of the plants may be allowed a place in fome ab- 
ject part of the garden, for they will thrive in any fi- 
tuation, and propagate faff enough by their creeping 
roots. 
The fecond fort was found browing in a wood near 
.Lichbarrow in Northamptonfhire, by Mr. Gerard. 
It has been generally efteemed a lufus naturae, and 
not a diftindt fpecies, but I have never found it alter 
in forty years ; but as it doth not produce feeds, fo 
there is no certainty of its being a diftindt fpecies. 
The roots of this do not fpread like thofe of the firR, 
the ftalks are fhorter, thicker, and do not grow fo 
eredt ; they rife a foot or more in height, the joints 
are very near and fwelling •, the leaves are produced 
fingly on the lower part of their ftalks, but toward 
the top they are often placed by pairs; they are oval- 
fhaped, about three inches long and two broad, hav- 
ing feveral longitudinal veins or plaits, and are hol- 
lowed like a ladle. The flowers are difpofed loofely 
on the top of the ftalk, they have large cylindrical 
empalements ; they are of one petal, and fcarce any; 
vifible ftamina ; they are of a purple colour, and 
flower in July. This plant is preferved for the fake 
of variety in fome gardens, but as there is little beau- 
ty in the flowers, it does not merit a place in gardens 
for pleafure. It is eafily propagated by parting of 
the roots in autumn, and loves a moift Ihadp 1L 
tuation. 
The third fort is an annual plant, which grows na- 
turally among Corn in the fouth of France and Italy. 
This rifes with an upright ftalk near a foot and a half 
high, branching our. upward into feveral divifions ; 
thefe always are by pairs oppofite, as are alfo the 
leaves, which are about an inch and a half long, and 
half an inch broad at their bafe, ending in acute points % 
they fit clofe to the ftalks, are fmooth, and of a gray 
colour. The flowers are produced at the end of the 
branches, each branding upon a long naked foot-ftalk ; 
their empalements are large, fwelling, and pyrami- 
dal, having five acute corners or angles ; the petals 
are but fmall ; they have long necks or tails, which 
are narrow ; their upper part is obtufe, and of a red- 
diih purple colour. Thefe appear in June and July s 
and the feeds ripen in autumn. 
The fourth fort grows naturally in Spain ; this is alfo 
an annual plant; it rifes with a ftrong fmooth ftalk 
about two feet high, garnifhed with" oval fpear-fhaped 
leaves three inches long, and an inch and a half 
broad near their bafe, drawing to a point at the end ; 
they are flefliy, of a gray colour, and are very fmooth - 
they are placed by pairs, and half embrace the ftalks 
with their bafe ; the upper part of the ftalk divides 
into many branches, which are again fubdivided into 
long naked foot-ftalks, each fuftaining a fingle flow- 
er ; the empalement of the flower is large, pyrami- 
dal, and fwelling, having five acute angles. The 
flowers are compofed of five obtufe red petals, 
which fpread open flat above the empalement. Thefe 
appear in June and July, and the feeds ripen in au- 
tumn. 
The fifth fort grows naturally in the Levant, -from 
whence Dr. Tournefort font the feeds. This is a low 
annual plant, feldom rifing more than four inches 
