RAPHANUS maritimus.
Sea Radish.
T E T R A D Y N A M IA Siliquosa.
Gen. Char. Cal. closed. Nectariferous glands 4 . Pod
cylindrical, swelling out into knobs, seeming
jointed.
Spec. CHAk. Pods jointed, smooth, deeply furrowed.
Radical leaves interruptedly lyrate.
Syn. Raphanus Raphanistrum y. Sm. FI. Brit. 723.
R. maritimus flore luteo, siliquis articulatis, secundum
longitudinem eminenter striatis. Rail Syn. 296.
Raphanistrum siliquâ articulatâ striata maxima. Moris,
v. 2. 266. Raii Hist. v. 1. 806.
S lN C E the publication of FI. Brit. I received specimens of
this plant from the late Mr. J. Mackay, who observed it on
the beach 3 miles from the Mull of Galloway. It was found
in that neighbourhood, as well as in the isle of Bute and other
places, so long ago as 1753, by my venerable friend the late
Rev. Dr. Walker, Professor of Natural History at Edinburgh,
who cultivated it till his death as an esculent root, preferable
to Horse Radish, and who found cattle to be extremely fond
of the herbage. Our fresh specimens were gathered, the end
of last May, on rocks near Beachy Head, Su ssex, by Mr. Turner
and Mr. W. Borrer.
The root is biennial, sometimes, according to Dr. Walker,
triennial, large and succulent. Stems 3 or 4 feet high, round,
roughest at the base. Radical leaves interruptedly lyrate, which
in R. Raphanistrum, as far as we have observed, are only
simply lyrate: all the leaves rough, and rather sharply toothed.
Flowers more yellow than in that species, and less veiny. Pods
remarkably and deeply furrowed longitudinally, and strongly
jointed, destitute of hairs or roughness.
It always grows near the sea, and is, we have no doubt, a
distinct species. The synonym of Petiver’s Herball, t. 46.
f . 11, seems doubtful, and is best omitted.
Sfpti. 1S06. -BifbJiihA Try Jn s Sinrrrby London .