Menyanthes 
Buckbean. 
TRIFOLI AT A. 
MENYANTHES Lm. Gen, PI. Pentandria Monogynia. 
Corolla hirfuta. Stigma 2 -fidum. Cap/ i -Jocularis. 
Ran Syn. Gen. 18. Herb,® fructu sicco singulari, flore monopetalo. 
MENYANTHES tn foliata foliis ternatis. Lm. Syjl, Vegeiab. p. 164. Sp, P/, 208. FI. Suec. n. 172. 
■ft. j Lappon. p. 50. 
MENYANTHES foliis ternatis. Haller Hijl. n. 633. 
MENYANTHES trifoliata. Scopoli FI. Carn. n. 212. 
TRIFOLIUM paluftre. Bauh. Pin. 327. 
TRIFOLIUM paludofum. Ger. emac. 1194. Parkin/. 1212. 
TRIFOLIUM fibrinum Tabem, et Germanorum. Rail Syn. p. 285. Marfh-Trefoil, Buckbeans. 
Hudfon FI. Angi. ed. 2. p. 85. Lighlfoot FI. Scot. p. 137. _ Oeder FI. Ban. 541. 
RADIX perennis, repens, longa, geniculata, fibrofa. 
CAULIS procumbens, varite longitudinis pro ratione 
loci, vaginis te&us. 
FOLIA petiolata, ternata, ovata, obtufa, utrinque gla- 
bra, venofa, margine repanda. 
PETIOLI teretes, ftriati, ball vaginati. 
SCAPUS fimplex, nudus, e vaginis foliorum natus, erec- 
tus, teres, glaber, foliis longior. 
THYRSUS terminalis, fubpyramidalis, nudus. 
BRACTEAE ovatae, acutiulcuke, concavae. 
CALYX : Perianthium raonophyllum, quinquepar- 
titum, bafi rugofum, laciniis ereCtis, oblongis, 
obtufis, laevibus, margine coloratis, fig. 1. 
COROLLA monopetala, campanulato-infundibulifor- 
mis, extus rofea, intus alba; Tubus craflus, 
calyce longior, quinque-fulcatus ; Limbus quin- 
que- partitus, laciniis ovato-lanceolatis, acuti- 
ufculis, reflexo-patentibus, intus barbatis, api- 
cibus nudis, barba longitudine calycis, fila- 
mentofa, alba. fig. 2. 
STAMINA: Filamenta quinque, fubulata, alba, co- 
rollae tubo adnata; Antherje purpurafcentes, 
fagittatae, apicibus incurvis ; Pollen flavum. 
fig- 3 - 
PISTILLUM : Germen ovatum, viride, nitidum ; 
Stylus cylindricus, fuperne paululum in- 
craffatus, flaminibus duplo longior ; Stigma 
bilabiatum, flavum, villofum. fig. 4. 
t ROOT perennial, creeping, long, jointed and fibrous. 
I STALK procumbent, various in its length, according 
$ to its fituation, covered by the (heaths of the 
leaves. 
I LEAVES (landing on foot-ftalks, growing three toge- 
ther, ovate, obtufe, fmooth on both (ides, 
I veiny, the edge waved or ferpentine. 
t LEAF-STALKS round, ftriated, forming a (heath at 
I the bottom. 
I SCAPUS, or flowering ftem, Ample, naked, arifing from 
the (heaths of the leaves, upright, round, 
* fmooth, longer than the leaves. 
$ THYRSUS terminal, fomewhat pyramidal, naked. 
I FLORAL-LEAVES ovate, fomewhat pointed and hol- 
$ low. 
I CALYX : a Perianthium of one leaf, deeply divided 
y into five fegments, at bottom wrinkly, the 
I fegments upright, oblong, obtufe, fmooth, 
I and coloured on the edge. fig. 1. 
t COROLLA monopetalous, betwixt bell and funnel- 
| (haped, externally of a rofe colour, internally 
white ; Tube thick, longer than the calvx, 
I having five grooves •, Lmb divided into five 
$ fegments, wnich are narrow and pointed, 
I fpreading and turned back, bearded on the in- 
y fide, the tips naked, beard the length of the 
calyx, thready and white, fig. 2. 
I STAMINA: five Filaments, tapering, white, grow- 
ing to the tube of the corolla; Anthers 
I purplilh, arrow-fhaped, the tips bending in ; 
t Pollen yellow, fig. 3. 
I PISTILLUM : Germen ovate, green, (hining ; Style 
$ cylindrical, above a little thickened, twice the 
I length of the (lamina; Stigma compofed of 
$ two lips, green and villous, fig. 4. 
Parkinson informs us, that in his time this plant was generally called by the name of Marjb-trefioil, and fome- 
times Marjh-claver ; it is now generally known by the name of Buckbean , whether this be a corruption of the 
compound word Bog-bean, or of the low Dutch Boex boonen , hoc eft Phafeolum hircinum , or whether it be an ori- 
ginal Englifh word we (hall not prefume to determine, it being a point on which the learned themlelves are not 
agreed ; but there is one point in which all who have feen the Buckbean in perfection will at once agree, viz. that 
it is one of the mod beautiful plants this country can boaft, nor does it fuffer when compared with the Kalmia's , 
the Rhododendron s, and the Erica's of foreign climes, which are purchafed at an extravagant price, and kept up 
with much pains and expence, while this delicate native, which might be procured without any expence, and cul- 
tivated without any trouble, blofloms unfeen, and waftes its beauty in the defart air. 
It grows abundantly in mod boggy meadows, it will alfo flourifh in ponds and lakes, and may be found in 
Batter/ea Meadows , particularly about a hundred yards diftant from the Red Houfe towards Chelfea, alio plenti- 
fully in the marlhes about the iflaird of St. Helena , near Rotherhithe, and no where in greater plenty than in the 
marlhes about Staines, in many of which it is the principal plant. It flowers in May and June. 
To 
