Order CCIV. BORAGINACE.E. The Borage Tribe. 
Boragine^, Juss. Gen. 143. (1789) ; R. Brown Prodr. 492. (1810) ; Lindl. Synops. 163, 
(1829) ; Bartl. Ord.Nat. 196. (1830) ; Don inEdinb. Ph. Journal, 13.239. (1835). 
— AsPERiFOLiiE, Linn. Martins Conspectus, No. 118. (1835). 
Essential Character. — Calyx persistent, with 4 or 5 divisions. Corolla h^'pogynous, 
monopetalous, generally regular, 5-cleft, sometimes 4-cleft, with an imbricate aestivation. 
Stamens inserted upon the petals, equal to the number of lobes of the corolla, and alter- 
nate with them. Oi'ary 4-parted, 4-seeded ; ovules attached to the lowest point of the 
cavity (pendulous, R. Br.) ; style simple, arising from the base of the lobes of the ovary; 
stigma simple or bifid. Nuts 4, distinct. Seed separable from the pericarp, destitute of 
albumen. Embryo with a superior radicle; cotyledons parallel with the axis, plano-convex, 
sometimes 4 ! — Herbaceous plants or shrubs.. Stems round. Leaves alternate, covered with 
asperities, consisting of hairs proceeding from an indurated enlarged base. Flowers in 1- 
sided gyrate spikes or racemes, or panicles, sometimes solitary and axillary. 
Anomalies. Echium has rather irregular flowers; Amsinckia has 4 cotyledons. 
Affinities. Nearly allied to Labiatae, from which they are essentially 
distinguished by the regularity of the corolla, the presence of 5 fertile stamens, 
the absence of resinous dots, the round (not square) figure of the stem, the 
gyrate inflorescence, and the scabrous alternate leaves. On account of this 
last character, they are sometimes called Asperifoliae. From all other orders 
of this alliance they are known by the 4 deep lobes of the ovary, called by 
Linnaean botanists naked seeds. Hydrophyllaceae, Cordiaceae, and Ehretiaceae, 
are all distinguished by their undivided ovary, but, together with Boraginaceae, 
are known by the quasi- quaternary stinicture of their ovary and the quinary 
division of the corolla and stamens. This order much requires the attention 
of some philosophical botanist. 
Geograph r. Natives principally of the temperate countries of the 
northern hemisphere ; extremely abundant in all the southern parts of Europe, 
the Levant, and middle Asia ; less frequent as we approach the arctic circle, 
and almost disappeaidng within the tropics. A few species only are found 
in such latitudes. In North America they are less abundant than in Europe. 
Pursh reckons but 22 species in the whole of his Flora ; while the little island 
of Sicily alone contains 35, according to Presl. 
Properties. Soft,. mucilaginous, emollient properties, are the usual cha- 
racteristics of this order ; some are also said to contain nitre, a proof of which 
is shewn by their frequent decrepitation when thrown on the fire. Borago 
officinalis gives a coolness to beverage in which its leaves are steeped. Echium 
plantagineum, naturalised in Brazil, is used in that country for the same pur- 
poses as the Borago officinalis in Europe. PI. Usuelles, 25. The roots of 
Anchusa tinctoria or Alkanet, Lithospermum tinctorium, Onosma echioides, 
Echium rubnim, and Anchusa virginica, contain a reddish brown substance 
used by dyers. This matter is thought to be a peculiar chemical principle 
approaching the resins. 
GENERA. 
Coldenia, L. 
Cerinthe, L. 
Echiochilon, Desf. 
Lobostemon, Lehm. 
Echium, L. 
Onosma, L. 
Moltkia, Lehm. Arnebia, Forsk. Pulmonana, L. 
Onosmodium, Michx. Macromeria, Don. Bessera, Schutt. 
Purshia, Spreng. Lithospermum, L. Amsinckia, Lehm. 
Rindera, Pall. Steenhammera, Rchb. Lycopsis, L. 
Batschia, Michx. Casselia, Dumort. Nonea, DC. 
Solenanthus, Led. Mertensia, Rth. 
