EpiLOBIUM ANGUST1FOLIUM. RoSEBAY WlLLOW-HERB. 
EPILOBIUM Linneei Gen. PL Octandria Monogynia. 
Cal. 4-fidus. Petala 4. Caps, oblonga, infera. Sent. pappofa. 
Rail Syn. Gen. 22. Herbje vasculifera: flore tetrapetalo anomale^ 
EPILOBIUM angufiifolium folxis fparfis lineari-lanceolatis, floribus inasqualibus. Linnai Syfi. Vegetal . 
p. 296. Sp. PI. 347^ 
EPILOBIUM flore difformi, foliis lanceolatis, tranfverfim nervofis. Haller hijl. n. 427. 
CHAMiENERION angujlifolium. Scopoli FI. Cam. 
LYSIMACHIA fpeciofa, quibufdam onagra difta flliquofa. Bauhin hifi. IT. 906. 
LYSIMACHIA Chamasnerion di£ta anguftifolia. Bauhin. pin. 245. Rail Synop. 310. Rofebay Willow-herb. 
Hudfion Flor. Angl. p. 140. 
Light foot Flor. Scot. p. 197. 
Oeder Dan. ic. 289. 
RADIX perennis, repenS. 
CAULIS ere£tus, tripedalis, ad orgyalem, ramofiflimus, 
teres, pubefcens, ramis alterne oppofitis. 
FOLIA lanceolata, alterna, fubdecurrentia, glabra, 
margine minute remoteque dentata, nervo 
medio albido. 
BRACTEtE foliis fimiles. 
FLORES purpurei, fpeciofi, fubfpicati, raro ultra 
quatuor aut quinque una in eadem fpica flo- 
rentes. 
CALYX : Perianthium tetraphyllum, fuperum, fo- 
liolis lanceolatis, coloratis, furfum curvatis, 
fiS- I- 
COROLLA : Petala quatuor, purpurea, patentia, 
fubrotunda, emarginata, unguibus anguftis, 
Jig. 2, duobus inferioribus remotioribus. 
STAMINA : Filamenta o£to, fubasqualia, purpu- 
rafcentia, primum deflexa, demum fubere&a, 
Piftillo breviora : Antherje rubrae, bilocula- 
res : Pollen viride, fig. 3, 4. 
PISTILLUM : Germen inferum, oblongum, longi- 
tudine Styli, • fubtetragonum, glandula coro- 
natum : Stylus filiformis, albus, prope bafin 
villofus : Stigma quadrifidum, magnum, la- 
ciniis villofis revolutis, fig. 5, 6, 7. 
PERICARIUM : Capsula cylindracea, incurvata, 
quadrilocularis, quadrivalvis. 
SEMINA numerofa, ftriata, pappo coronata Recepta- 
culo longiffimo tetragono, libero, flexili affixa, 
fis- 8 > 9 - 
ROOT perennial and creeping. 
STALK upright, from three to fix feet high, very 
much branched, round, and pubefcent ; the 
branches alternately oppofite. 
LEAVES lanceolate, alternate, running flightly down 
the ftalk, fmooth, the edge minutely and 
rarely indented, the midrib whitifh. 
FLORAL-LEAVES like thofe on the ftalk. 
FLOWERS purple, fhowy, growing in a kind of 
fpike, feldom more than four or five flowering 
together on the fame fpike. 
CALYX : Perianthium of four leaves, placed above 
the Calyx; the leaves lanceolate, coloured, 
and bending upwards. 
COROLLA : four roundifh Petals of a purple co- 
lour, fpreading, the claws narrow, fig. 2 ; the 
two lowermoft fomewhat remote from each 
other. 
STAMINA : eight Filaments, nearly of an equal 
length, of a purpliffi colour, at firft bending 
down, finally becoming fomewhat upright, 
fhorter than the Piftillum : Anthera red, 
having two cavities ; the Pollen green, 
fg- 3’ 4 - 
PISTILLUM : Germen below the Calyx, oblong, the 
length of the Style, flightly quadrangular, 
crowned by a gland : Style filiform, white, 
villous towards the bottom : Stigma large, 
divided into four fegments, which are villous, 
and turn back, fig. 5, 6, 7. 
SEED-VESSEL : a Capsule of a cylindrical form, 
fomewhat incurvated, of four cavities and 
four valves. 
SEEDS numerous, ftriated, crowned with a down, 
and affixed to a very long, loofe, flexible Recep- 
tacle,/^. 8, 9. 
IN the third edition of Ray’s Synopfis, this plant is faid to have been found growing wild near Alton , 
in Hampjhire : in confirmation of this, I have myfelf found it growing, in a wild unfrequented wood near the 
fame place. 
The fhowy appearance of its blofloms, has long fince introduced it into our gardens ; where, by means of 
its creeping roots, it is apt to increafe more than is defirable: and from the refufe of gardens, we fufpe& 
thofe plants, which we have here and there noticed about town, have arifen. Mr. Hudson, in his Flora Anglica , 
mentions its growing on Maize Hill , beyond Greenwich. 
It continues in bloflom through July, Auguft, and September. 
Haller, from feveral authors, mentions, that the young ffioots are eatable, although an inftffion of the 
plant ftupifies ; that the pith alfo is eatable; which when dried, is boiled, whence it becomes fweet, and by * 
a proper procefs, affords good beer; as alfo vinegar : that it is alfo added to the Cow Parfnep, to enrich the 
fpirit which is prepared from that plant : that it likewife affords good fodder for cattle ; and the down of 
the feeds, mixed with beavers hair, has been manufactured into feveral articles of cloathing. 
It is too diftinCt to be miftaken for any of the other fpecies ; and is fometimes found with white flowers. 
