A'SARUM*.

Linnean Class and Order. DODECA'NDRIA †, MONOGYNIA. Natural Order. ARISTOLO'CHIÆ, Juss. Gen. Pl. p. 72.—Sm. Gr. of Bot. p. 85.-Lindl. Syn. p. 224; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 72.-Rich. by Macgilliv. p. 418.-ASA'RINE, Link.-Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 533.—QUERNEALES; sect. ASARINÆ; type, AristoloCHIACEE; subtype, ASARIDE; Burn. Outl. of Bot. pp. 523, 583, 584, & 585.—SARMENTACEÆ, Linn.

GEN. CHAR. Calyx (fig. 1.) superior, of one leaf, bell-shaped, coriaceous (leather-like), coloured, permanent, in 3 deep, upright segments, with incurved points. Corolla none. Filaments 12, placed upon the Germen (see fig. 2.), awl-shaped (see fig. 3), half the length of the calyx. Anthers (see fig. 3.) attached to the inner side of the filaments, below the summits, each of 2 round, separated cells. Germen (see fig. 4.) inferior, turbinate. Style (fig. 4) columnar, furrowed, nearly as long as the stamens. Stigma (see fig. 4.) in 6 deep, stellated, recurved segments. Capsule (see fig. 4.) coriaceous, of 6 cells, not bursting, its outer coat a continuation of the calyx. Seeds (figs. 6 & 7.) several in each cell, inversely eggshaped, with a pale longitudinal crest.

Distinguished from other genera, in the same class and order, by the superior, bell-shaped, 3-lobed calyx; and the 6-celled capsule. One species British.

A'SARUM EUROPE'UM. Common Asarabacca. Fole's-foot Hazelwort. Wild Nard.

SPEC. CHAR. Leaves in pairs, kidney-shaped, blunt.

Engl. Bot. t. 1083.-Woodv. Med. Bot. v. ii. p. 237.-Stephenson & Churchill's Med. Bot. v. i. t. 23.-Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 633.-Huds. Fl. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 205.Willd. Sp. Pl. v. ii. pt. II. p. 838.-Sm. Fl. Brit. v. ii. p. 509. Engl. Fl. v. ii. p. 342.-With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 572.-Gray's Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 263.-Lindl. Syn. p. 225.-Hook. Brit. Fl. p. 217.-Purt. Midl. Fl. v. i. p. 225.-Hook. Fl. Scot, p. 146.-Thornton's Family Herb. p. 466, with a figure.-Winch's Fl. of Northumb. and Durham, p. 31.-Walker's Fl. of Oxf. p. 131.-A'sarum, Ray's Syn. p. 158.Johnson's Gerarde, p. 836.-Miller's Plates, p. 35. t. 53. f. 1.

LOCALITIES.-In mountainous woods; very rare.-Berksh. Between Maidenhead and Henley: Rev. Dr. A BBOT.-Cumberland; Ramskin, Martindale, and Keswick: HUTCHINSON. _Naturalized about Ormathwaite : N.J. WINCH, Esq. in New Bot. Guide.-Huntingdonshire; In a wood near Kimbolton: Mr. FERNIE, in Med. Bot.-Lancashire; In several woods in Lancashire: RAY Near Preston: Mr. T. HUTTON - Northumberland; At Middleton, near Alnwick: Miss FORSTER. Probably not originally indigenous: N. J. WINCH, Esq.- Westmoreland; Near Kirby Lonsdale, where it is gathered out of the woods for medical use: Dr. BATTY.-Yorkshire; Plentiful in Broad-bottom Wood, near Mytholmroyd, six miles from Halifax: Mr. ROBERTS LEYLAND. Hebden Bridge, near Halifax: New Bot. Guide. Harper-royd Cleugh, near Sowerby Bridge, three miles from Halifax: N. J. WINCH, Esq. in N. B. G. Gildersleets, Gigleswick, and Craven: E. F. Wirts, Esq.-SCOTLAND. West Binny, near Linlithgow: Miss LISTON, in Fl. Scot.

Fig. 1. A Flower opened vertically, showing the stamens and pistil.-Fig. 2. Unripe Capsule, crowned with the Stamens and Pistil.-Fig. 3. A separate Stamen.Fig. 4. Germen, Style, and Stigma.-Fig. 5. A ripe Capsule, after the external skin or epicarp is removed, opened to show the partitions.-Fig. 6. Seeds.-Fig. 7. A Seed, a little magnified.

* From a, Gr. not; and sairo, Gr. to adorn; because, says PLINY, it was not admitted into the ancient coronal wreaths, (lib. 21. ch. 6.); or more likely as being concealed under its leaves, it does not adorn the earth, THORNTON.

Perennial.-Flowers in April and May.

Roots of numerous, stout, branching fibres. Stems nearly cylindrical, hairy, creeping progressively on the surface of the ground, and sending out roots from every part. Leaves in pairs, at the extremity of the stems, on long, hairy petioles, kidney-shaped, quite entire, shining, dark green above, paler beneath, clothed with a few short bristly hairs, especially on the margin, and along the nerves on the upper surface. Flowers solitary, rather large, drooping, on a short peduncle at the summit of the stem, between the two leaves. Before the leaves expand they, and the flowers, are enclosed within two pair of large foliaceous scales or stipula, which are finally deciduous. Calyx large, bell-shaped, of a fleshy substance, and of a lurid and singular aspect. Filaments produced beyond the anthers into a hook or little horn. Capsule top-shaped (turbinate), crowned by the permanent calyx, hairy, obscurely 6-angled, not opening by valves, partitions fastened to the angles of the capsule, but loose and separate next the axis (see fig. 5).

This species is a native of many other parts of Europe as well as of England, where it grows in woods and shady places. It is of easy cultivation, but it should be planted in a shady situation. It grows remarkably well in the Oxford Botanic Garden, on a border under a high wall facing the North East.

Asarabacca has been found a good substitute for Ipecacuanha; it is possessed of emetic, purgative, and diuretic powers, and, from its common use in France by drunkards to produce vomiting, it has obtained the name of Cabaret. The powder of Asarabacca is an excellent sternutory; it enters into the composition of medicinal snuff, and in cases of inveterate headach, as well as in certain chronic inflammations of the eyelids, its use has afforded very marked relief. The best preparation for this purpose is the Compound Powder of Asarabacca of the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia, which consists of the dried leaves of Asarabacca three parts, the leaves of Marjoram and Flowers of Lavender, of each one part, reduced to powder. A few grains of this snuffed up the nose procures a considerable evacuation for a long time, without causing much sneezing or inconvenience to the patient.

The Natural Order ARISTOLOCHIE is composed of Apetalous dicotyledonous herbaceous or frutescent, often twining, plants; with alternate, simple, stalked leaves, which are frequently accompanied by leafy stipula. The flowers are hermaphrodite, axillary, and solitary, of a brown or some dull colour. The calyx is superior, tubular, with 3 segments, which are valvate in æstivation, sometimes regular, sometimes very unequal. The stamens, which are from 6 to 12 in number, are epigynous, distinct, or adhering to the style and stigmas. The ovarium is inferior, 3- or 6-celled; and contains numerous ovules, which are horizontally attached to the axis; the style (see fig. 4.) is simple; the stigmas radiating, and equal in number to the cells of the ovarium. The fruit (see fig. 2.) is dry or succulent, 3- or 6-celled, and many-seeded; and the seeds have a very minute embryo placed in the base of fleshy albumen. See Lindl. Syn.

The only British examples of this natural order are Aristolochia clematitis, t. 28, and Asarum europæum, t. 250.