Myosurus minimus 
M O U S E-T A I L 
MYOSURUS Lin. Gen. PI. Pentandria Polygynia. 
Ceil. 5-phylIus, bafi adnatus, NeSiaria 5 fubulata» petaliformia. Seta, 
numerofa. 
RaiiSyn. Gen. 15. Herba; semine nudo polyspermy. 
MYOSURUS minimus. Lin. Syjt. Vcgttab. p. 254. Sf. PL p. 407. FI. Sutc. n. 2;6. 
MYOSURUS. Haller. Hijl. n. 1159. 
HOLOSTEO adfinis Cauda muris. Baub. Pin. 190. 
CAUDA MURINA. Dod. Pempt. 112. 
RANUNCULUS gramineo folio, flore caudato, feminibus in capitulum fpicatum congeflis. Tournefort 
Injl. 293. 
MYOSUROS. Dillen. Nov. Gen. p. 108. t. 4. 
HOLOSTEUM Loniceri, Cauda muris vocatum. Park. 500. 
CAUDA MURIS. Gerard emac. 426. Raii Syn. 25 r. Moufe-tail. Lightjoot FI. Scot. p. 179. Hudjon 
FI. Angl. ed. 2. p. 13O. 
RADIX annua, fibrofa. 
FOLIA, omnia radicalia, viginti circiter in planta media: 
magnitudinis, erecta, longitudini inaequali, 
linearia, fuperne latiora, comprefla, utrinque 
obfolete canaliculata, glabra, iubcarnofa, ob- 
tufa, e flavo-viridia, bail rubicunda. 
SCAPI quatuor, quinque, aut plures, uniflori, ereCti, 
bipollicares et ultra, foliis longiores, teretes, 
fuperne paulo crafliores, glabri. 
CALYX: Perianthium pentaphyllum, foliolis ob- 
longis, obtufis, concavis, herbaceis, patenti- 
bus. Unguibus poftice elongatis, appreflis. 
acuminatis. Jig. 1, 2. 
COROLLA : Petala quinque, calyce breviora, minu- 
tiflima, flavefeentia, unguiculata, limbo patente, 
bafi fubtubulofa. Jig. 3. auCt. 5. 
STAMINA: Filamenta quinque, vel plura, longitu- 
dine fere calycis, receptaculo iulerta, fili- 
formia, alba, ereCta. Anthery oblonga;, 
lutefeentes. Jig. 4. 
PISTILLUM : Germina numerofa, receptaculo in for- 
mam conico-oblongam infidentia. Styli nulli. 
Stigmata minima, fimplicia. Jig. 6. 
PERICARP 1 UM nullum. Receptaculum longiffimum 
ftyliforme, feminibus imbricatim dilpofitis 
tedium, fig. 7. 
SEMINA numerofa, comprefla, mucronata. Jig. 8, 9. | SEEDS numerous, fiat,' and pointed, fig. 8, 9, 
fROOT annual and fibrous. 
| LEAVES, all of them radical, about twenty in a plant 
I of a middling fize, upright, of unequal length, 
f linear, broadeft at top, and flattened, faintly 
$ channeled on each fide, fmooth, fomewhat 
I flelhy, blunt, of a yellowifh green colour, 
$ and reddifh at the bafe. 
I FLOWERING-STEMS four, five, or more, each fupport- 
ing one flower, upright, two inches or more 
I in length, longer than the leaves, round, 
fmooth, and a little thickeft at the top. 
f CALYX: a Perianthium of five leaves, the leaves 
I oblong, obtufe, hollow, herbaceous, fpreading. 
I Claws lengthened out behind, prefled to the 
I flowering Item, and tapering to a point. Jig. 
t I, 2. 
I COROLLA: five Petals, fhorter than the calyx, 
$ very minute, of a yellowifh colour, clawed, 
t the limb fpreading,' fomewhat tubular at its 
I bafe. fig. 3. magn. 5. 
$ STAMINA: F ilaments five or more, almoft the 
I length of the calyx, fixed to the receptacle, 
thread- fhaped, white, upright. Anthery 
I oblong and yellowifh. fig. 4. 
£ PISTILLUM : Germina numerous, fitting on a re- 
| ceptacle, of an oblong, conic fhape. Styles 
I none. Stigmata very fmall and Ample. 
I M- 6 ; 
I SEED-VESSEL none. Receptacle very long, ftyle- 
| fhaped, covered with feeds, laying one over 
another.^. 7. 
Some of the early Botanifts gave to this plant the name of Moufe-tail , more from the general appearance of the 
plant than any particular attention to generic character. Tournefort afterwards arranged it with the Ranunculi , 
Dillenius, not iatisfied with fuch arrangement, made a diftinCt genus of it ; which has been adopted by Linnjeus. 
The ftruCture of the whole fructification is Angular, and deferving the attention of the young Bctanift; in 
particular, he lhould be careful to diftinguifh the Corolla from the Stamina. 
This delicate little annual grows in corn and clover-fields, and by path-fides, efpecially where water has been 
apt to flagnate. It is found about IJlington, Paddington, and Pancra fs; but with more certainty in the fields about 
Dulwich, efpecially on the right-hand-iide of Lor dfiip- lane, near Dulwich Wood. 
It flowers in May and June, and iipens it feed in July and. Augufi. 
