COCHLEARIA OFFICINALIS.
GRASS.
COMMON SCURVY
COCHLEARIA officinalis ; siliculis globosU, foiiis radicalibus cordatis obtusis petiolatia. caulinia ovatis ■ ■ ■ ■ W— HHHM
I *• * H S 1 1 p-[ *•i95-
Bot. t. 2403. tt 11 IT 1 gA®
NASTURTIUM f o i l radicalibus subrotundis, caulinis oblongis subsmuafs. Hall. Hele n. 503.
COCHLEARIA. Common round-leaved Scurvy-grass. or Garden H R S ■
COCHLEARIA minor rotandifolia. The lesser round-leaved Scurvy-grass. Ran Syn.p. 303.
COCHLEARIA rotundifolia*. Dill, in Raii S yn .p . 308. ’ . .
Dan. I B Dut. Gemeen Lepelkruid.
felkraut. It. Port, et Span. Cocleana. Norw. Kokleate. »wen. S '
| | | 1| meddygawl.
C la s s a n d O r d e r , TETRADYNAMIA SILICULOSA.
[N a tu r a l O r d e r . CRUCIFER®, /« » , HecflBd., Bra»», #«*■]
Ge n . Char. Silicula subovata, polysperma: valyis ventricosis. Semina inemarginata: cotyledonibus accum-
bentibus. Filamenta breviora, edentula. Calyx patens. B r .
Ge n . C iiar. P omcA subovate, many-seeded, with the valves ventricose. Seeds without margins: cotyledons
accumbent. Filaments short, without teeth. Calyx patent.
R a d ix annua, parva, subfusiformis, fibrosa.
Cad les numerosi ex eadem radice, spithamæi e t ultra,
adscendentes, ramosi, ad basin quadranguli, su-
perne multangulati.
Folia radicalia magnitudine variant, plerumque parva,
cordata, carnosa, obtusa, integerrima, longe pe-
tiolata ; caulina ovata vel oblonga, sessilia, remota,
basi semiamplexicaulia, margine dentato-angulata.
F lores numerosi, albi, terminales, primum corymbosi,
demum in racemos elongati.
Calycis foliola quatuor, ovata, obtusa, concava,
pallide viridia.
Corolla tetrapetala, petalis oblongis, patentibus, sub-
undulatis, basi unguiculatis, flavis.
Stamina sex, tetradynamia, adscendentia, quatuor pis-
tilli longitudine, duo paulo breviora : Filamenta
alba : Antheræ rotundatæ, didymæ, flavæ :
Pollen oblongum, pellucidum.
P istillum : Germen globosum, viride : Stylus brevis :
Stigma capitatum.
P e r ic a r p ium : Silicula globosa, vis duas lineas longa,
pedicello duplo brevior, lævis, fusca, stylo persistente
terminata, loculis tetra- penta-spermis,
valvulis ventricosis.
Sem in a ovata, badia, punctis elevatis obsita : Embryo
semini confbrmis.
Cotyledones accuinbentes, compresso-planæ. Radi-
cula-sursum curvata.
Root annual, small, somewhat fusiform, and fibrous.
Stems numerous from the same root, a span or more in
height, ascending, branched, quadrangular at the
base, above multangular.
Leaves, those springing from the root varying much in
size, generally small, cordate, obtuse, fleshy, entire,
upon long footstalks; the cauline ones ovate
or oblong, sessile, remote, semiamplexicaul at the
base, dentato-angulate at the margin.
Flowers numerous, white, terminal, at first corymbose,
afterwards lengthened out into racemes.
Leaflets of t h e c a l y x four, ovate, obtuse, concave,
pale green.
Corolla o f four petals, the petals oblong, patent, slightly
undulated, clawed and yellow at the base.
STAMENS six, tetradynamous, ascending, four as long as
the pistil, two a little shorter: Filaments white:
Anthers roundish, didymous, yellow: Pollen oblong,
pellucid.
P ist il : Germen globose, green: Style sh o rt: Stigma
capitate.
P er ic a r p : A globose pouch, scarcely two lines long,
twice as short as the pedicel, smooth, brown,
terminated by the persistent style, having the
cells four- to five-seeded, the valves ventricose.
Se ed s ovate, brown, covered with elevated points: Embryo
of the same shape as the seed.
Cotyledons accumbent, compressed and flattish: Radicle
curved upwards.
Fie 1 Single flower. Fir. 2. Leaflet of the calyx. Fig. 3. Petal. Fig. -i. Flower deprived of its calyx and
corolla. Fig. 5. Stamen. Fig. 6. Pollen. % . 7. Capsule. Fig. S. The same cut through transversely,
showing the septum and insertion of the seeds. Fig. 9■ Capsule with one valve bursting open. Fig. 10. Seed.
Fig. 11. Embryo.—all magnified.
There is certainly much difficulty in distinguishing this species from the Cochlearia anglica, when the plants are
not in seed. At that period all uncertainty vanishes, for the fruit of the present plant is globose, while that ot
the other is elliptical. The affinity is still nearer between Cochlearia officinalis and C. grcenlahdica of English
Botanv, t. 2403, and I really see no specific distinction, and cannot help considering the latter plant as a mere
mountain variety of the former. Cochlearia danica, besides a difference in the fruit, has all the leaves nearly deltoid,
and even those of the stem petiolated. . . HH R c P
The common Scurvy-grass is an abundant plant in salt marshes throughout this kingdom and the north ot Europe
; it also grows equally well upon the tops of high mountains, but is not found in America; its size and the
direction of its stems vary according to the situation. The radical leaves are peculiarly inconstant in form and
dimensions, becoming very large when the plant is cultivated. , .
This is a well known antiscorbutic, and as such is frequently employed by ships crews, both as salad and tor
the sake of the expressed juice; and Providence seems to have purposely planted it m the greatest prolusion in
those high northern latitudes where the scurvy is a complaint of such frequent occurrence. The Icelanders procure
a drink by steeping this plant in milk or whey; they even preserve it in large vessels, and keep it through the
winter. The sheep of that countryfeed greedily upon the Scurvy-grass, and soon become very fat, but their flesh
is said to have thereby acquired a rank and nauseous taste. . . ,
The whole herb yields a remarkably volatile and pungent spirit, which is reported to have been used with success
in cases of paralysis; and its various other excellencies are thus quaintly stated by the translator of Dodonasus .
“ Spoonewort is hoate and dry, and of a sharp biting tast, almost like kresses. Boyled in water, it is a singular
medecine against corrupt and rotten ulcers, and steuch of the mouth, if it be often washed withall. Also it layde
with vinegar upon the bodie, it taketh cleane away freckles, by the space of five houres, yet must these spottes be
playstered afterward with barley meale,” &c. . . >
The generic name is derived from the Latin cochlear, from a fancied resemblance in its leaves to the iorm ot a
spoon. The French Herbe mix .millers, and the old English name of Spoonewort have the same origin.
I t flowers in spring, and the scent of the flowers is agreeable.