THLASPI arvense.
Smooth Mithridate Mustard, or Fenny-Cress.
TETRAD YNAMIA Siliculosa.
G en . Char. Pouch notched, inversely heart-shaped*
with several seeds: valves boat-like, their keels
forming the b o rd e r: partition contrary to the
valves.
Spec. Char. Pouch orbicular, compressed, smooth.
Leaves smooth, oblong, toothed.
Syn. Thlaspi arvense. Linn. Sp. PI. 901. Sm. FI.
Brit. 683. Triads. 281. With. 568. Hull. 145.
Relh. 252. Sihth. 199. Curt. Bond. fa s c . 6.
t. 43.
T . Dioscoridis. Ran Syn. 305.
R e c e n t specimens of this Thlaspi were sent us from Norfolk,
in August last, by the Rev. G. R. Leathes. It occurs
now and then in cultivated fields, but is not frequent; and, like
all annual plants so situated, frequently changes its residence,
according to the change of crops.
Root small, tapering, annual. Whole plant destitute of
hairs. Stem erect, about a foot high, leafy; branched and
angular in the upper part. Leaves alternate, oblong, acute,
toothed; arrow-shaped and clasping the stem at their base.
Flowers numerous, small, white. Petals undivided. Pouch
large, erect, quite smooth, furnished with a very broad border,
making an almost perfectly circular figure, In a notch at the
top stands the very short style.
No medical virtues are now expected from this plant, except
what it possesses in common with the true Mustard, Sinapis.
Its warm pungent taste is combined with a disagreeable garlick
flavour. The seeds make an ingredient in that nauseous opprobrium
of Pharmacy, the Mithridate Confection, the receipt
for which may be found, with many excellent critical remarks,
in Lewis’s Dispensatory. It is now expunged from our classical
Pharmacopeias.
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