Flora Medica

3-nerved, smooth or somewhat hispid, occasionally 1-seeded at thebase, ovate-oblong, knotted, hispid, 2-4- seeded on each side. Seedslarge, pale. Seeds powerfully acrid and pungent ; employed in thestate of flour in the composition of common table mustard ;used intheir entire state as stimulating cathartics. Ulceration of the intestineshas however been produced by the use of them, when they havelodged in the vermiform appendix of the coecum.ERUCA.Calyx erect. Petals obovate. Stamens distinct, not toothed.Silique oval oblong, 2-celled, 2-valved ; valves concave, smooth,with an ensiform seedless beak, scarcely shorter than the valves.Seeds globose. (O ).195. E. sativa Linn, sp.pl 932. Fl. grac.t. 646 and 647.DC.prodr. i. 223. Eruca herba Pliny. Evfypov Dioscorid.Fields and waste places in the south of Europe. (GardenRocket.)Leaves lyrate, pinnatifid, with toothed acute lobes. Stem hirsute.Pedicels shorter than the deciduous calyx. Petals white, or pale yellow,with very dark veins, retuse, or somewhat emarginate. The yellowishbrown seeds may be substituted for mustard, but are less pungent.RAPHANUS.Calyx erect, somewhat 2-bagged at the base. Petals unguiculate,obovate or obcordate. Stamens without teeth, distinct.Silicle taper, pointed by a conical style, valveless, coriaceous, orcorky, 2-celled, or 1 -celled in consequence of the partition disappearing,either continuous or strangulated. Seeds 1 -rowed,globose, pendulous. (O>>)196. R. sativus Linn. sp. pi. 935. Lam. illusfr. t. 566. DC.prodr. i. 228. Papavn; Dioscorid. Rhaphanus Pliny China,Japan, and the west of Asia. (Radish).A common and very variable plant in gardens ;the roots long orround, tender or hard and tough, red, purple, white or blackish gray,delicate or pungent. Leaves more or less hispid, lyrate, angular,rather fleshy. Flowers pale lilac. Siliques taper, torose, acuminate,scarcely longer than the pedicel. Seeds are mentioned by Von Martiusas emetic. The roots are said to be diuretic and laxative ;theexpressed juice is sometimes used on the Continent.