CENTAUREA glastifolia calycibus scariosis, foliis indivisis integerrimis decurrentibus. Lin.  Syst.  Veg. p. 787. Gmelin Sib. 2. p. 83.

CENTAURIUM majus orientale erectum, glasti folio, flore luteo. Comm. rar. 39. t. 39.

[Illustration:  62]

Assumes the name of glastifolia from the similitude which the leaves bear to those of the Isatis tinctoria, or Woad, Glastum of the old Botanists.

In this plant we have an excellent example of the Folium decurrens and Calyx scariosus of LINNAEUS, the leaves also exhibit a curious phenomenon, having veins prominent on both their sides; the scales of the calyx are moreover distinguished by a beautiful silvery appearance, which it is difficult to represent in colours.

It is a native of the East, as well as of Siberia; flowers with us in July, in the open border, and is readily propagated by parting its roots in autumn, which are of the creeping kind:  requires no particular treatment.

MILLER, in the last 4to edition of his Dictionary, enumerates a Cent. glastifolia; but his description in detail, by no means accords with the plant.

[63]

Fragaria monophylla.  One-Leaved Strawberry, or Strawberry of Versailles.

Class and Order.

Icosandria Polygynia.

Generic Character.

Calyx 10-fidus. Petala 5. Receptaculum feminum ovatum, baccatum, deciduum.

Specific Character and Synonyms.

FRAGARIA monophylla foliis simplicibus. Lin.  Syst.  Veg. p. 476. Le Fraisier de Versailles.  Duchesne Hist. nat. des Frais, p. 124.

[Illustration:  63]

The first mention made of this Strawberry, we find in DUCHESNE’S Histoire naturelle des Fraisiers, where we have its complete history, and from which we learn, that it was originally raised by him at Versailles, in the Year 1761, from seeds of the Wood Strawberry.

From France this plant has been conveyed to most parts of Europe; how it has happened we know not, but it is certainly very little known in this country:  in the 14th edit of the Syst.  Veg. of LINNAEUS, it appears as a species under the name of monophylla, originally imposed on it by DUCHESNE; LINNAEUS, however, has his doubts as to its being a species distinct from the vesca, and, in our humble opinion, not without reason; for it can certainly be regarded as a very singular variety only; its origin indeed is a proof of this; in addition to which we may observe, that plants raised from the runners will sometimes, though very rarely indeed, have three leaves instead of one:  and it is observed by the very intelligent author of the Hist. nat. abovementioned, that seedling plants sometimes produced leaves with three divisions, like those of the Wood Strawberry.