Spec. Plant, Willd. iii. 60. Cl. 14. Ord. 1. Didynamia Gymnospermia. Nat. ord. Labiatae. G. 1099. Calyx ovate, somewhat toothed, supported by a bracte.

Corolla resupine. Stamens within the tube. Species 1. L. Spica. Lavender. Med. Bot. 3d edit. 221. t. 114. Officinal. Lavandulae flores3, Lond. Dub. Lavandulae spicae flores, Edin. The flowers of Lavender.

Syn. Lavande (F.), Lavendelblumen (G. Dutch, Dan. Swed.), Lawanda (Pol.), Lavanda (I.), Alhuzema (S.), Alfazema (Port.).

The plant named by the Pharmacopoeia is not that which is officinally employed. It is the L. vera, the narrow leaved species, which is cultivated, and used in this country. The L. spica is unknown, except in particular collections, in Great Britain. The L. vera is a perennial, a native of the south of Europe, but commonly cultivated in our gardens4, flowering from June to September. It is a much branched shrub, rising in its proper soil often six feet in height; the woody part of the stem being covered with a rough brown bark, while that of the shoots, which are four-cornered, is of a pale glaucous colour. The leaves of the most common variety are glaucous, narrow, nearly linear, and entire: the lower petiolate, and the upper ones sessile. The flowers are produced on the young shoots in terminal spikes, which consist of interrupted whorls. The corolla is blue, tubular, and

1 Dr. Paris (Pharmacologia), has given the following formula, as that by which much of the nostrum called Godfrey's Cordial is prepared:-"Infuse ix. of sassafras, and of the seeds of coriander, carraway, and anise, of each j., in six pints of water: simmer the mixture until it is reduced to four pints: then add lbs. vj. of treacle, and boil the whole for a few minutes: when it is cold, add f iij. of tincture of opium."

2 In Virginia a beer is made by boiling the young shoots of the sassafras in water, adding molasses to the decoction, and fermenting it. Soon after its introduction into Europe, M. Bremane (Sassafralogia, 1627,) informs us, it was sold for 50 livres per lb.

Theophrasti, labiate: the upper lip larger and bifid: the lower divided into three segments. The filaments are within the tube, and support small simple anthers: the style, which is slender, and crowned with a bilobated stigma, rises from the centre of four naked seeds at the bottom of the tube.

4 It was cultivated in England so early as 1568, according to Turner.

The flowers are cut in dry weather, when they begin to blow.

Qualities.-Lavender-flowers have an agreeable, fragrant odour, and a warm, bitterish taste. Alcohol extracts their virtues completely, and elevates in distillation all their odorous parts: water acts less completely. The oil, however, on which their virtues depend, is obtained separate in distillation -with water; in the proportion, according to Lewis1, of one ounce of oil from sixty ounces of flowers.

Medical properties and uses.-Lavender is stimulant and tonic. The oil extracted by alcohol enters into several compositions. The dried leaves in powder were used formerly as a sternutatory; but they are now neglected.

Officinal preparations.- Oleum Lavandula, L. E. D. Spiritus Lavandula, E. D. Tinctura Lavandula, L. Tinctura Lavandula composita, L. E. D. Pulvis Asari compositus, D. E.