VERBENA*.

Linnean Class and Order. DIDYNA'MIA, Gymnospermia. Natural Order. VERBENA'CEE. - Lind. Syn. p. 195; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 238.-Rich. by Macgill. p. 438.

Juss.

GEN. CHAR. Calyx of 1 leaf, tubular, angular, with 5 teeth, one of which is shorter than the rest. Corolla of 1 petal, unequal; tube cylindrical, twice as long as the calyx, straight in the lower half, dilated and curved in the upper. Limb spreading, in 5 deep, rounded, nearly equal segments. Filaments 4, in some species only 2, slender, very short, incurved, within the tube of the corolla, two of them shorter. Anthers of two rounded lobes. Germen, superior, 4-cornered. Style slender, as long as the tube. Stigma blunt. Seeds 2 or 4, oblong, angular, roughish, inclosed in one thin, membranous, evanescent pellicle.-Distinguished from other genera of the same class and order, by the shorter upper tooth of the calyx, the curved, and nearly equal corolla, and the stamens inclosed in the tube †.

One species British.

VERBE'NA OFFICINA'LIS. Vervain. Simpler's Joy.

SPEC. CHAR. Stamens 4. Spikes slender, panicled. Leaves deeply cut. Stem mostly solitary.

Eng. Bot. t. 767.-Curt. Fl. Lond.-Woodv. Med. Bot. t. 218.-Sm. Eng. Fl. v. iii. p. 71.-With. (7th ed.) v. iii. p. 696.—Lind. Syn. p. 196.-Hook. Br. Fl. p. 290.-Sibth. Fl. Oxon. p. 181.-Purt. Midl. Fl. v. i. p. 56.-Relh. Fl. Cant. (3rd ed.) p. 233.-Hook. Fl. Scot. p. 190.-Grev. Fl. Edin. p. 138.-Walk. Fl. of Oxf. p. 162-Verbena Vulgaris, Ray's Syn. p. 236.--V. Communis, Johnson's Gerarde, 718.

LOCALITIES. By road-sides, on stone walls, and in dry waste ground, or pastures, about villages.-Common in some parts of England.-About Oxford, and Rugby, but rather uncommon. W. B. Not common in Ireland, and very rare in Scotland.-Plentiful near Cork. Mr. DRUMMOND.-Very abundant by waysides near Killarney, and sparingly at Killmacannick, county of Wicklow. Mr. J. T. MACKAY, in Catalogue of the Plants found in Ireland.-At Inverkeithing, Scotland. Dr. PARSONS, in Fl. Scot.

Perennial.-Flowers from July to October.

Root woody, somewhat creeping. Stem curved at the base, then upright, from 1 to 2 feet, or more, high, square, leafy, rough with small prickles or bristles. Leaves roughish variously jagged, or pinnatifid, the upper ones 3-cleft, or simple, tapering at the base into short, broad, footstalks. Spikes several, opposite, and terminal, stalked, slender, pointed, lengthening out after flowering, and forming altogether a kind of panicle. Flowers numerous, small, sessile, bluish, each accompanied by a small egg-shaped pointed

Fig. 1. Calyx.-Fig. 2. Corolla.-Fig. 3. Corolla cut open to show the situation of the Stamens.-Fig. 4. Germen, Style, and Stigma.-All magnified.

From the Celtic name Ferfaen, and probably referring to its use in the rites of heathen worship, and the idolatrous sacrifices of the Pagans. WITHERING. LINNEUS placed this Genus in the class Diandria, because some of its species have only 2 stamens; but as the species found in Britain has always 4, it is, by most English Botanical authors, placed in the class Didynamia, where the English Botanist would expect to find it.

them shorter than the other two (didynamous). Seeds blunt, dotted with minute hollows; when young they are inclosed in one common skin, or pellicle, which is obliterated as they ripen.

Among the Ancients the Verbena Officinalis, or common Vervain, was held in great veneration, especially by the Priests of Rome, of Gaul, and of Greece, the Magi of India, and the Druids of Britain. Many peculiar rites were observed by them at the gathering of this. plant. After libations of honey had been poured forth, it was gathered with much solemn ceremony at the rising of the dog-star, when neither sun nor moon shone. In digging it up, the left hand only was used. It was then waved aloft, and the leaves, stalk, and root were dried separately in the shade, and thus prepared it was believed to be capable of curing the bite of all rabid animals, and arresting the progress of the venom of serpents; the root, suspended about the neck as an amulet, was recommended as a sovereign medicine for the king's evil, and a variety of diseases. It was also, used in sacrificial rites and incantations; and chaplets of it were worn by Ambassadors and Heralds at Arms, on denouncing war, or conveying messages of defiance. It was likewise considered a charm to conciliate friendship:

"There are fairer flowers that bloom on the lea,

And give out their fragrant scent to the gale;
But the vervain, with charmed leaf, shall be

The plant of our choosing, though scentless and pale.

For, wrapp'd in the veil of thy lowly flower,
They say that a powerful influence dwells,
And that, duly cull'd in the star-bright hour,
Thou bindest the heart by thy powerful spells.

We will plant thee beneath our sheltering tree,

In our bower we will bid thy blossoms unfold;
So faithful and firm may our friendships be,

So never may glowing hearts grow cold."- Wild Garland.

It is said that, even in the present day, the rustics in some parts of Germany and France, are wont to gather this plant under certain phases of the moon, accompanied by unintelligible cabalistic ejaculations, believing that the herb thus procured will operate as a charm against every calamity, natural and supernatural, and even possess the power

66 That hind'reth witches of their will."- With. Bot. Arr.

"Modern practice does not allow it to possess any medical efficacy, and its fanciful peculiarities are in no repute; yet it seems to hanker after its lost fame, and lingers around the dwellings of man, for though not solely found about our habitations, as Miller thought, yet generally, when perceived, it is near some inhabited or ruined residence, not as a stray from cultivation, but from preference."

Journal of a Naturalist, 3rd ed. p. 96.

21.

PRENANTHES *.

Linnean Class and Order.

LIS.

SYNGENE'SIA, POLYGA'MIA EQUA'

Natural Order. COMPO'SITE. Juss.-Tribe CICHORA'CEÆ.Lind. Syn. p. 140 and 142.-Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. PP. 197201.-SYNANTHE'REE.-Rich. by Macgillv. p. 454.

GEN. CHAR. Involucrum (common calyx) cylindrical, smooth, double: the inner of as many strap-shaped, equal scales as there are florets; the outer of a few very short unequal ones at the base of the inner. Corolla compound, composed of a single row of perfect, equal, strap-shaped, abrupt, 4- or 5-toothed florets (flosculi). Filaments 5, bair-like. Anthers united into a slender cylindrical tube. Germen oblong. Style thread-shaped, longer than the stamens. Stigmas 2, revolute (rolled back.) Seed (akenium of Richard.) oblong, furrowed. Seed-down (pappus) hair-like, roughish, nearly or quite sessile. Receptacle naked, very narrow.-Distinguished from other genera of the same class and order, by the naked receptacle; nearly sessile, simple down; double calyx; and very few (from about 5 to 8) florets.

One species British.

PRENANTHES MURA'LIS. Ivy-leaved Wall-lettuce.
SPEC. CHAR. Florets five. Leaves runcinate.

Eng. Bot. t. 457.-Curt. Fl. Lond. t. 306.-Sm. Fl. Brit. v. ii. p. 821; Engl. Fl. v. iii. p. 348.-With. (7th ed.) v. iii. p. 887.-Hook. Br. Fl. p. 340.-Sibth. Fl. Oxon. p. 238.-Relh. Fl. Cant. (3rd edit.) p. 319.-Purt. Midl. Fl. v. ii. p. 376.-Hook. Fl. Scot. p. 227.-Sm. Plants of S. Kent. p. 46.-Walk. Fl. of Oxf. p. 223.-Chondrilla muralis, Gray's Natt. Arr. v. ii. p. 415.-Lind. Syn. p. 157.-Lactuca sylvestris murorum flore luteo, Ray's Syn. p. 162.-Sonchus lævis muralis, Johnson's Gerarde, 293.

LOCALITIES.-On old walls, in woods, and on hedge-banks, especially on a chalky soil. Not common.-On the top of Stanton Harcourt kitchen.-Stokenchurch Woods. Dr. SIBTHOR P.-Magdalen College. Long Wall. Rev. RD. WALKER, in Fl. of Oxf.-On walls going from the Broad Walk into St. Aldate's. On the north side of the Church of St. Peter's in the East, Oxford. On a bridge between Lower Woolvercot and Godstow; and in woods on Henley Park hill. Oxon. On old pollard willows in Bagley Wood, Berks. W. B.In a wet shady lane, between Middle-town and Sambourne. On the hedgebank, between Washford and the Boot, at Mapleborough Green, Warwickshire. On walls at Hord's Park, Shropshire. Mr. PURTON, in Midl. Fl.-Woody lanes,' and upon banks of the chalk, at Hythe, in Kent. Rev. G. E. SMITH.-On willows by the old sluice behind Granchester Mill. Trumpington, in the lane leading from the bridge to the village. Chippenham, on the walls of the Park, Cambridgeshire. Rev. R. RELHAN, in Fl. Cant.-In Swithland Slate Pits, Charnwood Forest, near Leicester. Rev. A. BLOXAM, in Mag. Nat. Hist. v. iii. p. 167.-Blackstone Rock, and Rock Wood, near Bewdley. In a wood by Picket Rock, and Summer Hill, near Kidderminster and Rock Hill, a mile and a half from Broomsgrove, on the road to Alcester. Mr. W. G. PERRY, ibid. v. iv. p. 451.-About Bishopgate-street, Norwich. Welwyn, in Hertfordshire. Croyden, in Surrey. Cleifden, in Buckinghamshire. Weekly, in Northamptonshire. Basford, in Nottinghamshire. Peek's Hole, in Derby

Fig. 1. Calyx.-Fig. 2. A separate Floret, magnified, showing the united anthers, the style terminated by the two revolute stigmas; and at the base of the floret the germen, crowned with the simple, hair-like pappus.-Fig. 3. Seed.Fig. 4. Expanded Calyx, showing the small naked receptacle.

From prenes, Gr. drooping, and anthos, Gr. a flower; the blossom drooping, or hanging down.