MENYA'NTHES*.

Linnean Class and Order. PENTA'NDRIA †, MONOGYNIA. Natural Order. GENTIA NEE, Dr. R. Brown.-Lindl. Syn. p. 177; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 215.-Rich. by Macgilliv. 444.-Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 526.-LYSIMACHIE, affinia, Juss. Gen. Pl. pp. 95 & 97.-SYRINGALES; subord. PRIMULOSÆ; sect. GENTIANINE; Burn. Outl. of Bot. pp. 900, 958, & 1008.-PRECIE, Linn.

GEN. CHAR. Calyx (fig. 2.) inferior, permanent, of 1 sepal, in 5 deep, slightly spreading segments. Corolla (see fig. 1.) of 1 petal, funnel-shaped; tube short, somewhat dilated upward; limb spreading, in 5, more or less pointed, segments, bearded internally, with a simple margin. Filaments (see fig. 1.) 5, awl-shaped, short, attached to the tube, alternate with the segments of the limb. Anthers cloven at the base, upright. Germen (see fig. 3.) conical. Style (see fig. 3.) 1, cylindrical. Stigma capitate, with from 2 to 5 furrows. Capsule (figs. 4 & 5.) egg-shaped, 1-celled, 2-valved; the valves bearing the seed in their axis (see f. 5.)—Leaves ternate.

The 5-parted calyx; the monopetalous, funnel-shaped corolla, in 5 deep segments, hairy within, with a simple margin; the 2-lobed stigma; and the capsule of 1 cell, and 2 valves, bearing the seeds in their axis; will distinguish this from other genera in the same class and order.

One species British.

MENYA'NTHES TRIFOLIA TA. Common Buck-bean, or Bog-bean. Marsh Trefoil.

SPEC. CHAR. Leaves ternate. Disk of the Corolla densely shaggy.

Engl. Bot. t. 495.-Curt. Fl. Lond. t. 240.-Woodv. Med. Bot. v. i. p. 5. t. 2.Curt. Brit. Entomol. v. vii. t. 294!-Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 208.-Willd. Sp. Pl. v. i. pt. II. p. 811.-Huds. Fl. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 85.-Linn. Fl. Lapponica, (2nd edit.) p. 52.-Sm. Fl. Brit. v. i. p. 225. Engl. Fl. v. i. p. 274.-With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 292.-Lindl. Syn. p. 179,-Hook. Br. Fl. p. 91.-Lightf. Fl. Scot. p. 137.-Sibth. Fl. Oxon. p. 73.-Abb. Fl. Bedf. p. 44.-Thornton's Fam. Herb. p. 98.-Davies' Welsh Bot. p. 21.-Purt. Midl. Fl. v. i. p. 122; and v. iii. p. 343.-Relh. Fl. Cant. (3rd ed.) p. 85.-Hook. Fl. Scot. p. 71.-Grev. Fl. Edin. p. 48.-Fl. Devon. pp. 36 & 153.-Johnst. Fl. Berw. v. i. p. 55.-Winch's Fl. of Northumb. and Durham, p. 13.-Walker's Fl. of Oxf. p. 52.-Perry's Pl. Varvic. Selectæ, p. 16.-Bab. Fl. Bath. p. 30.-Mack. Catal. of Plants of Irel. p. 22; Fl. Hibern. pt. 1. p. 188.Menyanthes palustris, Gray's Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 340.-Menianthes palustre triphyllum latifolium et angustifolium, Ray's Syn. p. 285.-Trifolium paludosum, Johnson's Gerarde, p. 1194.

LOCALITIES.-In marshy and boggy places, watery meadows, and on the margins of rivers, pools, and wet ditches. Not uncommon.

Perennial.-Flowers in May and June.

Fig. 1. Corolla, opened vertically to show the stamens.-Fig. 2. The Calyx.— Fig. 3. The Calyx, Germen, Style, and Stigma.-Fig. 4. A Capsule.-Fig. 5. A Capsule with the valves opened.-Fig. 8. A Seed.

* From mene, Gr. a month; and anthos, Gr. a flower; as continuing a month in blossom. WITHERING.

Root creeping, long, jointed and fibrous. Stems procumbent, or somewhat ascending, nearly cylindrical, leafy, very cellular within. Petioles (leaf-stalks) cylindrical, stout; nearly concealing the stem by their dilated, sheathing base. Leaflets 3, equal, inversely eggshaped, smooth, slightly waved at the margin, and obscurely toothed, each with a thick midrib. Scape (flower-stalk) upright, about 6 or 8 inches high, cylindrical, smooth, arising from within the sheaths of the petioles, and terminated by a raceme of flowers, each on a short pedicel, with an egg-shaped bractea at its base. Calyx wrinkled at the bottom. Corolla flesh-coloured on the outside, nearly or quite white within, the disk of its segments beautifully fringed with white filaments. Anthers yellow. Fruit an eggshaped capsule about the size of a pea, of 1 cell, and 2 valves. Seeds egg-shaped, of a yellowish-brown colour, smooth and shining. This is one of the most beautiful of our native plants, and is highly deserving the eulogium of the poet :

"Oft where the stream meandering glides,

Our beauteous Menyanthes hides

Her clustering, fringed flowers;

Nor mid the garden's sheltering care,
Of fam'd exotics rich and rare,
Purple or.roseate, brown or fair,

A plant more lovely towers."

In the opinion of Mr. W. CURTIS it is equal to the Kalmias, the Rhododendrons, and the Ericas of foreign climes, "which are purchased at an extravagant price, and kept up with much pains and expence, while this delicate native, which might be procured without any expence, and cultivated without any trouble, blossoms unseen, and wastes its beauty in the desart air." To such as wish to have this plant flower with them in perfection, Mr. CURTIS recommends the following mode of cultivation. "Collect the roots of the plant either in Spring or Autumn, put them in a large pot (having a hole at the bottom) filled with bog earth, immerse the pot about two-thirds of its depth in water, in which it should continue; the advantage of this method is, that when the plant is coming into flower it may be brought into any room and placed in a pan of water, where it will continue to blossom for two or three weeks." A single root, which Mr. CURTIS treated in this manner, planted in the Spring, produced the ensuing May 8 flowering stems, many of which had 15 or 16 blossoms on them.

In the North of Europe, where hops are scarce, this plant has been used as a substitute in brewing ale: two ounces being equal to a pound of hops. The roots dried and powdered, and mixed with a small quantity of meal, have been used in Lapland for making bread, but it is extremely bitter and unpalatable. The dried leaves are sometimes smoked. An infusion of the leaves is extremely bitter, and is prescribed in rheumatisms and dropsies. A dram of them in powder proves drastic and emetic. It is sometimes given to destroy worms; and it has gained reputation in scorbutic disorders, a pint a day of infusion of the leaves removing inveterate cutaneous eruptions.

It has been said that it cures sheep of the rot; but from the Upsal experiments it appears that, though goats eat it, sheep seldom do. Cows, horses, and swine refuse it.

In and about Hamburgh, this is called The Flower of Liberty; and the inhabitants pretend that it grows only within the territories of that republic, and has never been seen in the South of Denmark, which adjoins it.