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E C H IU M vulgare.
Common Fiber's Buglofs.
P Ê R T A N D R I A Monfgynia.
G en. C har. Cor. irregular, its orifice open and naked*
Spec. C h ar. Stem briftly and tuberculated. Stem
leaves lanceolate, and rough with ftiff hairs. Flowers
in lateral fpikes.
Syn . Echium vulgare. Linn. Sp. PI. 200. Hud/. FI.
An. 83. With. Bot. Arr. 200. Relb. Cant. 8o*
R aii Syn. 227.
A BE AU T lEÜ L and magnificent, though very vulgar Weed,
whofe frequency in every high-way and field, efpecially in a
light foil, makes us defpife it as an unprofitable intruder;
yet we have feen inhabitants of tropical countries, on their
arrival in Europe, fo charmed with the viper’s buglofs, as to
call it worthy to decorate the gardens of the gods.” The
dry fields of Cambridgefhire and Norfolk are perfe&ly blue with
thefe flowers in June and July, nor is any part of England
Without more Or lefs of them.
The root is biennial. Stem ftrorig, ere£t, round, móftly
fprinkled with red tubercles bearing fome of the very ftiff
briftles which clothe every part of the herb, and which on the
upper fide of the leaves arife front white callofities. The radical
leaves are numerous, fpreading in the form of a ftar.
Spikes folitary from each axilla of the ftem-leaves, pendulous,
but growing ere£l as the flowers open* Buds red. Corolla
nearly regular, purple, then bright blue, downy on the outfide
about the ribs* Stamina varying in length, but always fome-
what longer than the corolla. The juices of the herb are
Very mucilaginous.
We can fcarcely define the difference between this and
E. italicum (for in this cafe the Linntean eharafters unfortunately
teach nothing), except that the ftalk of the latter feems
hot to be tuberculated, and the flowers are not half fo large as
in E. vulgare