s? 
Fumaria Capreolata. Ramping Fumitory. 
FUMARIA. 
FUMARIA 
FUMARIA 
FUMARIA 
FUMARIA 
FUMARIA 
Limi. Geni P/. DlAbELPHiA HexANBRIA. 
Cal. diphyllus. Cor. ringens. Filamenta 2-membranacea, Gngula 
Anther is 3. 
Ra!iSm Ge „ HeEB* »LO« BEBATO SIMPLICI, SEMINIBUS NUDIS SOLITAB.IS 
Ran Syn. Gea. UEU ^ slIiGOJ . os elobes singulis. 
r ■ foliis fcanientibus fubcirrhofis. Linn. SyJI. 
a 9«5-«W * *■ * 3So - 
officinalis var. Httif. FI. Angi, e i. 2. f. 3°9- 
viticulis et capreolis plantis vicinis adhierens. Baub. Pin. f. 143- 
major fcandens flore pallidiore. Rail Syn. ei. 3. f ** "T* 
flore albo. White, flowred Tumitorie. Ge, Heri. f 9 2 7 . f. 21 defcribed with tendrils, 
but not figured with any. 
In the wonderful ceconotny of nature, it is found requifite for the weU-being ■ <* ■ c«l 
a rnnfidprable heivht above the furface of the earth ; by far the greater part acquire this height 
! 1 
re wonderful ceconotny of nature, it is tound requilite tor me »™6 ” ™ t ; „ ' this hei!rh ; 
curlin/round whatever obieas they come in contad with, as in the Vine, Cucumber, and many of the leguminous 
pkms S --in the prefent inLce, there is a deviation from both thefe modes the ttalk does not turn as m the 
Hop, nor does it throw out tendrils as in the Vine ; but the leaves themfelves perform the office of tendrils, 
that is, they curl round whatever obje&s they touch. 
Though the prerent plant, in the colour and form of its leaves and flowers, bears a «jnfiderabk i refemblance 
to the common Fumitory, yet its greater difpofition to climb did not efcape the observation of the older 
Botanifts, who regarded it as a fpecies on that account:— by what particular means it acquired its fupenor 
power of afcenfion, or in what other refpefts it differed from the common Fumitory, they did not inquire into 
as thev ought, or they would not have fpoken of its diftina viticuli and capreoli; it may be doubted even 
whether Linnaeus’s term of fubcirrhofis, together with his defcripuon of the leaves in his Spec. Plant [foliola 
extrema in cirrhos tranfeunt) may not tend to miflead the ftudent ; for though the leaves, or rather their foot- 
ftalks, perform the office of tendrils, their form (as far as we have obferved) undergoes no alteration. 
Some modern writers have expreffed their doubts, as to this plant’s being a fpecies ; if it differed only in the 
particular ceconomy of its leaves, we ftiould doubt it alfo; for we have obferved the common Fumitory, when 
growing luxuriantly, ffiew a fimilar tendency in its leaves to lay hold of contiguous objeas; and many, we 
believe, 0 have taken the plant in this luxuriant ftate, and with this tendency, for the capreolata ; no wonder they 
ffiould perceive no difference. 
We have loner been convinced that the two plants are perfeaiy diftina ; the true capreolata is much lels 
common, and a more local plant than the officinalis ; its foliage has little of the glaucous appearance in it, but 
inclines more to yellowifh-greeri, and, taking two plants of the fame age and of the fame degree of luxuriance, 
it is much broader and has a much greater tendency to perform the office of tendrils, and, in confequence of 
this greater difpofition to climb, the plant will afeend to a much greater height than the officinalis, and will 
frequently furmount a low hedge ; the difference in the flowers is equally if not more obvious, and this difference 
is, perhaps, in no refpeft more ftriking, than in the number of the flowers which form the fpike ; in the 
capreolata they are much fewer than in the officinalis, being ufually from fix to twelve, while in the officinalis 
they are generally twice as numerous ; the colour of the flowers exhibits a difference which ftrikes the eye, 
perhaps, as foon as any other ; in the officinalis, the main body of the flower is bright red, in the capreolata it 
is flefh colour ; hence the deep red at the extremity of the flowers in the capreolata forms a greater contraft in 
this fpecies than in the other : — to thefe diftinftions, we may add the fuperior fize of the flowers of the capreolata, 
which are at leaft one third larger ; the mouth of the flower in the officinalis (taking two flowers of the fame 
age) is more open, that is the tip of the carina adheres more clofely to the other parts ; in the capreolata, this 
is a good charafter and conftant ; in the officinalis, the peduncle is inferted more into the middle of the flower ; 
the calyx in the capreolata is proportionably broader, and its upper edge rifes higher on the flower, vid. fg. 
1 2, where a flower of each is reprefented, that they may be compared together. 
We have already obferved, that this fpecies is more local than the officinalis ; it is certainly much more rare 
in the neighbourhood of London : we remember to have feen it fparingly near Edmonton, and in a few other 
places ; more plentifully about Barnftaple, in Devonfliire, and elfewhere. 
It flowers from June to September, and produces plenty of feed, which comes up fpontaneoufly, and in 
fuch abundance as to make it a kind of weed. 
1 To loftier forms are rougher talks adign’d, 
‘ The Iheltering oak refills the llormy wind." 
