Agrostema Githago. Cockle 
AGROSTEMA Lm Gen. PI. DecaNdria Pentagynia. 
Cj/. i-phyllus, coriaceus. Peiala 5 unguiculata: Lmh obtufo, indivHo. 
GapJ. i-loculans. 
Rail Syn. Gen. 24 Herba: pentapetalje vasculifera:. 
AGROSTEMA Gitbago hirfuta, caljcibus corollam aequantibus,] petalis integris nudis. M. 
P- 3 ^^* ^p' Ri- 624. Pl. Suecic. n. 407. 
LYCHNIS calycibus longifllme caudatis. Haller. Hijl. 926. 
LYCHNIS Githago. Scopoli FI, Carn. n. 527. 
LYCHNIS Tegetum major. Bauh. p. 204. 
PSEUDO-MELAN'1'HIUM Ger-emac. 1087. 
LYCHNOIDES Tegetum five Nigellaftrum. 632. %. 338. Cockle. 
Hudfon FI. HngL ed. 2. p. 198. 
Lightfoot FI. Scot. p. 238. 
Oeder. FI. Dan. t. 576. 
RADIX annua. 
CAULIS erectus, bipedalis, teres, fiftuloTus, hirTutus. 
Tuperne ramoTus. 
^^^LIA oblongo-lanceolata, carinata, bafi connata, utriu- 
que hirTuta, pilis ad bafin folii longioribus 
FLORES Tolitarii, fpeciofi, purpurei. 
CALYX : Perianthium monophyllum, quiiiquefi- 
dum, profunde Tulcatum, anguloTum, pilo- 
Tum, laciniis knceolatis, Tubnudis, carinatis, 
corolla longioribus. 
COROLLA : Petala quinque, magna, TpecioTa, 
purpurea, obcordata, bafi albida, venis paucis 
laturate viridibus interrupte notatis ; Unguis 
Tublinearis, longitudine fere limbi. Jig, i. 
STAMINA: Filamenta decem. Tubulata, quinque 
ad, bafin petalorum iuTerta, quinque Teriora in- 
tra petala locata: Anther a pallide purpureje, 
TubTagittat^e. Jig. 2. 3. 
PISTILLUM: Germen Tubrotundo -conicum, viride, 
glabrum : Styli quinque, filiformes, albidi, 
pilofi, eredli, apicibus paululum reflexis; Stig- 
mata fimplicia. jig. 4. 
PERICARPIUM : Capsula magnitudine fere glandis, 
calyce exficcato tedium, ore quinquedentato, 
lineis decem elevatis notatum. Jig, 6 . 
SEMINA plurima, majufcula, angulata, eleganter 
exafperata. fg. 7. 
ROOT annual. 
STALK upright, about two feet high, round, hollow, 
hiriute, branched at top. 
LEAVES of an oblong lanceolate jfhape, keel’d, uni- 
ting at the bafe, hairy on both fidcs, the hairs 
the bafe of the leaves longefi. 
FLOWERS Handing fingly on the tops of the Halks, 
Ihowy and purple. 
CALYX .■ a Perianthium of one leaf, divided into 
five fegmeiits, of a hard fubftance, deeply 
grooved, angular and hairy, the fegments 
lanceolate, (lightly hairy, with a prominent 
nr\n evT longer than the corolla. 
COROLLA : five Petals, large, (howy, of a purple 
colour, and inverfely heart-lhaped, the bafe 
whitilh, marked with a few interrupted 
veins of a deep green colour ; Claw fomewhat 
linear, almoft the length of the limb. Jig. 
stamina : ten Filaments, tapering, five inferred 
into the bafe of the petals, and five later ones 
placed betwixt the petals; Antheeje of a 
pale purple colour, and fomewhat arrow- 
fhaped. Jig. a. 3. 
PISTILLUM 1 Germen of a roundifh conical fhape, 
fmooth, and of a green colour; Stvles five, 
thread-fhaped, whitifh, hairy, upright, the 
tips bending a little back; Stigmata fimple. 
fig- 4 - 5. 
SEED-VESSEL; a Capsule almoft the fi^ze of an 
acorn, covered with its dried calyx, having 
ten ribs, the mouth Iplitting into five teeth 
fig- 6. 
SEEDS numerous, largilh, angular, with a furface 
like fhagreen. fg. 7. 
July*’' common plant in mod Corn-fields about London and elfewhcre; it flowers in June and 
Like the red Poppy it contributes to ornament our fields, but is rarely found in gardens. 
A miller informed me he never wilhed to to fee any of it among the corn he ground, as it had a verv P-seat ten- 
deucy to clog his mill-ftones. ' ° 
The feeds being large and mealy, probably afford food to feveral forts of birds. 
Its medical virtues, highly extolled by former writers, are difregarded in the prefent praaice. 
