DIANDRIA Monogynia. 1
G en. Char. Cor. of a petals. Cal. o f 2 leaves,
fiiperior. Capf. o f a cells. Seeds folitary.
Spec. C har. Stem erect. Leaves ovate, Rightly
toothed, opacpje and downy.
S yn. Circsea lutetiana. Linn. Sp. PI. 12. Sm. FI.
B rit. 13. Huaf. 10. W ith. 10. Relh. 1 1 .
Sibth. 9. Abbot, y. Curt. Land. fa fc. 3. t. 3.
Dickf. H . Sicc. fa fc. 8. 1. Raii Syn. 289.
C. racemofa, var. 1. Hull. 6.
I N o t unfrequent in fhady lanes, woods, orchards and
yards, flowering in June and July.
Root perennial, creeping, hard to be rooted up where it has
once eftablithed itfelf in a favourable fituation. Stem upright,
ftraight, a foot and half high, round, downy, leafy. Leaves
oppofite, on thort ftalks, ovate, downy, of a darkifh, dull, and
not Alining, green; their margin waved, edged with fliort teeth.
Flowers in one or more terminal long clutters; their partial
flalks fpreading, and at length reflexed. Calyx-leaves ovate,
reflexed, coloured. Petals inverfely heart-thaped, white or red-
dith, thorter than the ftamina and ftyle. Capfule roundith,
clothed with little hooked briftles, by which (feparating entire
from the ftalk) it flicks to the coats of animals. The feeds
neverthelefs are often abortive.
W e know not how this plant obtained its romantic name.
It has been confecrated to Circe and to St. Stephen, and old
writers tell us its principal ufe is for amorous purpofes; but
how it is to be applied they are filent; and it fliould feem
from Gerarde that it has merely been miftaken for Mandragora,
a famous charm for procuring love, but to which our Circaa
has not the moft remote affinity or refemblance.