DIGITALIS Linnoei Gen. P I. Didynamia Angiospermia.
Cal. 5-partitus. Cor. campanulata 5-fida, ventricofa. Caps, ovata bilocularis^
Raü Syn. Gen* 1$. Herbæ fructu sicco singulari floré monopetalo.
DIGITALIS purpurea calycinis foliolis ovatis acutis, eorollis obtufis : labio fuperiore integro. Lynn. Syfl.
Vegeiab. p. 570. Sp. PI.p.%66.
DIGITALIS foliis calycinis ovatis, galea fimplici. Hatter, hift.p. 143. n. 330.
DIGITALIS purpurea. Scgpoïi F l. Carniol. p. 447. n. 780.
DIGITALIS pur putea folio afpero. p. 243*
DIGITALIS purpurea. Gerard, emac. 790-.
DIGITALIS purpurea vulgaris. Parkmfon. 1653. Ruii Syn. p * 2*3. Purple Fox-glove. Huifon.Pl.
Angl. p. 240» Oedet. F l. Dan. Icon. 774.
RADIX biennis, fibrofa. | ROOT biennial and fibrous.
CAULIS tripedalis ad orgyalem, fimplex, eire&us, fo-1 STALK from three to fix feet high, fimple upright
liofus, teres, pubefcens. „ . t leafy, round, and pubefcent or downy. & *
FOLIA ovato-acuta, ferrata, venofa, fubtUs albida, pu-| LEAVES of a pointed oval fhape, ferrated, veiny uhder-
befcentia; Petioli breves, alati. ' $ neath whitifh and pubefcent; the Foot-stalks
fhort and \ * 1 * *-----
FLORES fpicati, nutantes, imbricati, fecundi.
PEDUNClJLI uniflori, pubefcentes, apice: incrafiati,
peradta florefcentia fubere&i.
CALYX: P e\ i a n t h i u m q u in q u e p a r t i tu m , la c in i is o v a -
to - a c u m in a t i s , n e r v o f is , fu p r em a a n g u f t io r e ,
fig- i
COROLLA monopetala, fubcampanulata, purpurea, in terne
ocellata j t u b u s ma gnus, patens, deor-
fum ventricofus, bafi cylindracea, a r fta ; l im b u s
parvus, quadrifidus, lacinia fuperiore integra
quafi truncata, inferiore majore, inflexa.-
STAMINA : F i l a m e n t a quatuor bafi Corollas inferta,
alba, apice paululum latiora, bafi infrafta, quorum
duolongiora; A n t h e r s primum magnas,
turgidze, ovatae, bafi coadunatas, lutefcentes, et
fsepe maculatas; demum et format et fitu mire1
mutantur, Jig. 2, 3, 4.
PlSTILLUM: Germen fubconicum, luteo-virens;;
Stylus fim p le x ; Stigma bifidum, Jig. 5,
I I 6’ 7-
NECTAR 1UM G l a n d u l a bafin Germinis cingens,
fig- 8.
PERICARPIUM: Ca p s u l a ovato-acuminata, bilocu-«
laris, bivalvis, valvula inferiore findente, Jig. 9.:
FLOWERS growing in a fpike, pendulous, laying one
over another all one way.
PEDUNCLES fuftaining one flower, pubefcent, thick-
. eft at top, after the flower drops off, becoming
nearly upright. 6
CALYX : a Perianthium divided into five fegments
which are of an oval-pointed ffiape, and nervous’
the uppermoft narrower than the reft, &•. j. ’
COROLLA monopetalous, fomewhat bell-fhaped," purple,
and marked in the infide with little’ eyes;
the tube large, fpreading, bulging out backwards
; the bafe cylindrical, and as i f it had
been tied with a ligature; the limb fmall and
quadrifid, the upper- fegment entire and as if
- cut off, the lower (egment larger and bent in
STAMINA : four Filaments inferted into the bottom
- of the Corolla, white, a little broadeft at top
crooked at bottom, two long and two (hort-
A nther.® at firft large, turgid, oval, touching
at bottom, o f a yellowiih colour and often
fpotted; Iaftly, changing both their form and
fituation in a lingular manner, fig. 2 3 a
PlSTILLUM: Germen rather conical, of a yellow
green colour; Style fimple; Stigm a bifid
J>g- 5. <>. 7- ’
NECTARY a Gland furrounding the bottom of th„
Germen, fig. 8.
SEED-VESSEL : a pointed oval Capsule, of two cavities
and two yalves, the lowermoft valve
| • fp l i t t i n g in tw o , Jig. 9 .
1 SEMINA plurima, nigricantia, parva, utraque extremitate $ SEEDS numerous, blackifh, fmall, as if cut off at «
truncata, fig . 10. * / end, Jig. 1 o. I
Was it not that we are too apt to treat with negleft the beautiful plants of our own country, merely becaufe they
are common and eafily obtained, the (lately and elegant Fox-glove would much oftener be the pride of our gardens
than it is at prefent; for it is not only peculiarly ftriking at a diftance, but its flowers and their feveral parts become
1 “Clutlf“1 proportion to the nearnefs of our view. How Angularly and how regularly do the bloffoms hang one
: °yer “ other ! how delicate are the little fpots which ornament the infide of the flower ! aud like the wings of fome
! of our fmall Butterflies (mile at every attempt of the Painter to do them juftice ! how pleafing is it to behold the neft
| Img Bee hide ltfelf in its pendulous blofloms, while extrafting its fweets, which furiiifh our tables with honev and
f our manufacturers with wax 1 Nor are the more interior parts of the flower lefs worthy of our admiration or left
adapted to the improvement of the young Botanift f here all the parts of the fruftification being large, he will readily
obtaiu a diftind idea of them, but more particularly of the form of the Anthers, and the alteration which rnk-Z
L place in them, previous to and after the difeharge of the Pollen. Fid. fig. 3, 4.
Theflowersof this plant are in general of a fine purple colour, and like all other purple flowers are liable to varia
I , °"s ; (°nietimes we find the blofloms of a milk-white or cream colour, and fome other varieties of it are mentioned
I.hy Ra y , but the white is the moll common. Such as would wilh to cultivate it may raife it either from feed whirl,
[ m m m s m ° f * e plant, or from young plants. It grows naturally in a dry and gravelly foil’ and In
■ “ J^yUj,fdO^ Ug ^ mm0n e" 0Mgh 0Ver moftParts of England; about Charlton-Wood it is very plentiful, aud flowers
According to the teftimony of many writers, the juice or decoftion of this plant, taken inwardlv, afts as an emerir
I onlvP« f :‘Ve’ « H .Wlth confiderable violence; hence Mr. R a y very properly advifes it to be given to fuch
( unit t a p robuft conftitutions. P a r k in so n affirms, that it is very efficacious in the cure of the Epilepfv • but hr
L u r i d 'S totemn ^ " “ ^ ° W>% “ wh!ch °f *= g!»ts themerit of
|ulcme- f P s l ° r herb’ e‘tbe-r br?‘®d °,r ™ d,c int0 an «e «»ngly recommended in fcrophulous tumours and
lconcerninydiff0 “ j°Pull0n, have the Jtdums of its virtues as a vulnerary, that they-have the following proverb
I nmg it, Aralda tutte le ptaghe falda. Fox-glove cures all wounds. Raii Hifi. Plant.