S8 . C 97 ]
I S A T I S tin&oria.
Woad.
T E T R A D Y N A M I A SUieuto/a.
Gen. Char. Pouch lanceolate, one-celled, fingle-feeded,
deciduous, with two boat- like valves.
Spec. Char. Radical leaves crenated, ftem leaves ar-
row-fhaped. Pouch oblong.
Syn. Ifatis tindtoria. Linn. Sp. PI. 936. Hudf. FI.
An. 299. With. Pot. Arr. 717. Relb. Cant. 259.
■ Glaftum fativum. Rail Syn. 307.
■ 1 1 1 riniuiimiuniMWWaBn»— — iiiiih ' 1 "*■
N o t a native of our ifland originally; at lead being according
to Linnaeus a maritime plant, and yet always found
with us in and about cultivated fields, it fliould feem to have
become naturalifed from its frequent culture for the purpofe of
dying blue. Yet we are told by Pliny the ancient Britons
painted their bodies with it. If Pliny’s plant be ours, which
is very probable, it muff be a native.
The root is biennial. Stem erect, branched, round, fet with
alternate fomewhat fucculent leaves. The radical leaves only
ftand on long footftalks, and are crenated. Not only the corolla,
but the calyx is yellow. The feed veflels dark brown. A few
hairs are fometimes found on the ftem and leaves. The flowers
appear in July.
Although no admirers of whimfical innovation, efpeeially in
an artificial fyftem, we cannot but think judicious corrections
{Lengthen any fyftem, and certainly lead to truth. We therefore
adopt Profeffor Schreber’s alteration of Linnaeus in placing
this genus, with Bunias and Crambe, in the order Siliculofa, to
which they fo evidently belong one is quite at a lofs to conceive
on what principle they could be placed among Siliquofa.
Even Linnaeus in his fpecific characters of thefe plants ufes the
term fdiculis, and moft fyftematic authors have placed them
near Drabaj Lepidium, &c.