56 The VEGETABLE SYSTEM. 
6. FORKED SCABIOUS. 
Plate 27. Fig. 1. 
Character of the Species. Scabiofa Syriaca. 
The Stalk fplits in a forked manner; the Leaves are 
lanc’d, and deeply ferrated, efpecially toward the bafe. 
Fig. 1 . a b. 
'This is an annual, native of Syria, and many other warm parts of 
the globe; but is no where lb plentiful as about Aleppo; though this 
is not always, but in certain years, for fometimes in the lame places, 
which were before in a manner covered with it, there is fcarce a 
Plant to be feen : the caufe of which will be conlidered. The Plant is 
a yard and a half high, very beautiful, and lafts many months in flower. 
The Stalk is ridged, eredt and robuft, of a pale green, and always rifes 
unbranched for fome heighth above the ground. The proper fum- 
mit of it is terminated by a Flower, a little below which, rife two 
Branches in a forked manner ; and each of thefe terminating as the 
Stem, give the fame forked afpedfto the whole upper part of the Plant, 
with a Flower on a Ihort Footftalk in the divifion. 
The Leaves are of a pale, and very delicate green; the Flowers 
are of a perfectly cceleftial blue : though they will vary from this, and 
fometimes be white. 
The afpedt and habit of this Plant, and the extreme uncertainty of 
finding it in the fame place ; together with the free growth of the 
Seeds with us at fome times, and their perfedt failing at others, though 
feeming very good and found, give me a fufpicion that the Plant is 
not a genuine fpecies, but is produced between the Shepherd’s Rod, 
and fome one of the Scabious’s. The habit more refembles the Shep- 
herd’s Rod than the Scabious, but is truly of a kind between them. 
The Leaves have much of the Shepherd’s Rod form ; and their deep 
divifion toward the bafe, feems an attempt toward the diftind! appen- 
dages of that Plant; neither does the form of the general Flower deny 
this alliance. There is in this cafe lefs wonder that the Seeds fail often, 
than that they fometimes grow. 
We 
