F R A G A R I A vesca.
Wood Strawberry.
1C0 SANDRIA Polygynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. inferior, in 10 segments. Petals 5.
Receptacle of the seeds ovate, pulpy, deciduous.
Seeds smooth.
Spec. Char. Root with creeping scyons.
Syn. Fragaria vesca. Linn. Sp. PI. 708. Sm. FI.
Brit. 546. Buds. 221. With. 471. Hull. 112.
Relh. 196. Sibth. 160. Abbot. 112.
Fragaria. Raii Syn. 254.
T he delicious Strawberry, of which numerous varieties (or
perhaps species) in our gardens well compensate the want of
many a tropical luxury, is altogether the fruit of a cool climate.
In Sweden the Wood Strawberries, such as that in our plate
gathered at Matlock, are so abundant, that the tables are
chiefly supplied with wild fruit. Linnaeus gave a general
order to his servants to buy all that were brought to his door
throughout the season, thinking this fruit peculiarly wholesome
for persons of a gouty habit. In Gloucestershire we
have seen Strawberries for the dessert gathered out of the woods
every day. Indeed most woods and thickets in Britain produce
them. The first blossoms appear in May, and are succeeded
by others till August.
The root is perennial, throwing out long creeping runners
or scyons. Stems short, erect, and nearly simple. Leaves
mostly radical, on long stalks, ternate, downy, obtuse,
strongly and regularly serrated, marked with parallel veins.
Flowers erect, on hairy, cymose, bracteated stalks. Petals
white, notched, varying in size. Fruit drooping, ovate,
fleshy, red, fragrant, studded all over with naked smooth
seeds, each accompanied by a permanent withered style.