/ s f
A J U G A reptans.
Common Bugle.
D 1 D Y N A M I A Gymnofpermia..
G e n . C h a r . Upper lip of the Corolla very minute,
and much thorter than the ftamina.
S p e c . C h a r . Herb fmooth. Stem folitary, throwing
out creeping fcyons.
S y n . Ajuga reptans. Linn. Sp. PI. 785. HudJ. 248.
With. 517. Relh. 220. Sibth. 180. Curt. Land,
fa ß. 1. ;f. 43.
Bugula. Rail Syn. 245.
C o m m o n in woods and moift paftures, flowering in May.
Root perennial, with many ftrong fibres. Stem always folitary,
ere£f, about a foot high, fquare, leafy, Ample, but throwing
out feveral procumbent roundiih leafy fcyons, which fpread
in all dire&ions to a confiderable extent, and take root here and
there at the infertion of their leaves. By thefe fcyons the plant
now before us is known from A. alpina, t. 477, and every
other fpecies. Leaves oppofite, ovate, fcolloped, tapering
downwards into broad foot-ftalks. Flowers in thick fet whorls,
with purplifh fcolloped bra&ese. Calyx hairy. Corolla of a
full blue {freaked with white, fometimes entirely white, and
more rarely flelh-coloured.
Linnteus juftly defcribes the herbage as fmooth, for fo it generally
appears; but in high dry fituations the accurate Mr.
Gough (fo much more accurate without the fenfe of fight than
mod perfons are who poflefs it) has remarked that the common
Bugle becomes fomewhat hairy, with a rounder Item and
fhorter fcyons.
This plant had once the reputation of a vulnerary, and was
applied both outwardly and inwardly; but modern furgery
neglects it, having learned by experience the ineflicacy of vul-
neraries in general. It is fomewhat aftringent, efpecially the
root.