■ RADIX perennis, repens.
■ CAULES bipedalis, tripedalis et ultra, pro ratione loci,
fcandens, angulofo-fulcatus, pubefcens, fragil
is, frangendo crepitans, ramofus.
iSTIPULAL binae, femifagittatae, integrae aut dentatae.
[FOLIA pinnata, pinnarum 8 feu 12 parium, raro ultra,
oblongo-lanceolata, mucronata, utrinque feri-
cea pube albida, pinnis oppofitis alternifve,
cirrho tripartite terminata.
[FLORES racemofi.
[RACEMI alterni, multiflori, primo fuberefli, apice in-
curvi, poftea reflexi, flofculis 10 ad 40, vio-
laceis, confertis, breviflime pedicellatis.
[CALYX: P e r ian th ium raonophyllum, tubulatum,
coloratum, quinquedentatum, dentibus tribus
inferioribus longioribus, pilofis, medio pro-
duftiore, duobus fuperioribus minimis, fig. 2.
$
$
■ ta, fig. 1.
■ STAMINA: Filamenta 10, (implex etnovem fidum,
alba. A nther* ' parvae, luteae.
■ GERMENoblongum,compreflum,glabrum. Stylus
fubereflus, undique pilofus. Stigma obtu-
fum, fig. 3.
■ PER1CARPIUM: L egumen femunciale, pallide fuf-
■ cum, glabrum, utrinque compreflum, fig. 4.
■ SEMINA quatuor vel quinque in Angulo legumine, fubrotunda,
nigricantia, fig. 5.
ROOT perennial and creeping.
STALK two, three feet or more in height, according
to its place of growth, climbing, angular,
grooved, downy, brittle, fnapping when
broken, branched.
STIPUL.dE growing in pairs, each refembling half an
arrow, entire or toothed.
LEAVES pinnated, compofed of 8 or 12 pair, feldom
more, oblong, lanceolate, terminated by a
point, covered on each flde with a kind of
white Alky down, the pinnae oppoAte or alternate,
terminated by a tripartite cirrhus.
FLOWERS growing in bunches dr racemi.
RACEMI alternate, many-flowered, at flrft nearly upright,
with the tip bent in, afterwards reflexed,
flowers from 10 to 40, of a violet colour,
crouded together, and (landing on very fhort
foot-ftalks.
CALYX: a P e r ian th ium o f one leaf, tuhular, coloured,
having flve teeth, the three lowermofl:
longer than the upper ones, the middle one
fartheft extended, the two upper ones very
minute, fig. 2.
COROLLA: Standard emarginate, reflexed, o f a
violet colour, faintly imped with veins of
a deeper colour. Wings cloflng. K eel
whitilh, marked on each flde at the tip
with a deeply violet-coloured fpot, fig. i .
STAMINA: ten Filaments, nine united, one Angle,
white. A nther.* fmall and yellow.
GERMEN oblong, comprefled, fmooth. Sty le nearly
upright, hairy all round. Stigma blunt,
fig. 3*
SEED-VESSEL: a Pod about half an inch long, o f a
pale brown colour, flattened on each fide, fig. 4.
SEEDS four or five in each pod, nearly round and
blackilh, fig. 5.
I Linnaus, H a l l e r , and S c o po l i , afcribe to this plant Jiipulae In te g r a . Indeed the two former found a part
■ oj their fpecific character on this very circumftance; but this charafler is certainly a very fallacious one, as the
■ plant is frequently found with us having f iip u lc e d en ta tee, and fuch is the fpecimen we have figured. It has, however,
other chara&ers by which it is obvioufly diftinguilhed. The moft ftriking are drawn from the leaves and
»lowers; the former are covered with a fine kind of filky down, which gives them a manifeft whitenefs. This is
■ molt apparent in fuch fpecimens as grow in dry, expofed fituations. The flowers are of a rich deep purple
■ colour, grow in long bunches or racemi, thickly crouded together, and are confpicuous at a diftance.
■ M rT a VCr^ com9:ion plant in the neighbourhood of London, and no where more plentiful than in Batterfea
■ eadows. When it has an opportunity, of climbing up a hedge, it will grow to the height of five or fix feet; and
■ dwarfilh11 |1|! *tS ^^°^oms are difplayed to advantage. In the open paftures and fields, it is found much more
■ h flowers from July to September.
■ Cni eraifn B p |$ s lto decorate the hedges of their Plantations cannot fele6l a more proper plant, as it is not
■ fuppon great Bindweed’ Travellers-joy, and other ftrong growing plants, to fuffocate the flirubs which.
1 is recommended alfo, by fome authors, as affording excellent fodder for cattle.