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E R Y S I M U M officinale.
Common Hedge-mujlard.
TETRA D YN AMIA Siliquofa,
Gen. Char. Pod ftraight, columnar, exa6tly fquare.
Cal. clofed. Stigma blunt.
Spec. Char. Pods clofe-preflèd to the main ftalk.
Leaves runcinate.
Syn. Eryfimum officinale. Linn. Sp. PI. 922. Sm.
FI. Brit. 706. liu d f. 286. With. 583. Hull.
146. Relh. 230. Sibth. 201. Abbot. 144. Curt.
Lond.fafc. 5. /. 50. Woodv. Suppl, t. 244.
Eruca hirfuta, filiquâ cauli apprefsâ, Eryfimum didta.
Rail Syn. 298.
O plant can be more common, nor hardly any lets attractive,
than the Hedge-muftard; and if we fhould be led by the
name officinale to expect any latent medical virtues, we fliould
be fcarcely lefs difappointed than in its external charms; for,
whatever ftimulant properties it may poflefs, they are certainly
much weaker than thofe of the Sinapis and many others of
this natural order, nor does it appear to have any other qualities
which they do not poflefs.
E. officinale is an annual, flowering in June and July, and
to be found in wafte ground, on hedge banks, and fimilar
fituations, where its long fpreading branches, fet with numerous
clofe-prefled feed-pods, and terminating in a little denfe cluf-
ter of lemon-coloured flowers, make it eafily known. The
whole plant is rather hairy. Leaves lyrate, their lobes runcinate
or hooked backwards, unequally toothed. Their colour
is a dull hoary green.