[250] Gerard, p. 353,—Hyoscyamus niger, L. Adventive only: having “escaped from gardens to roadsides,” according to Dr. Gray (Man., p. 340); but “common amongst rubbish and by roadsides,” in 1785 (Cutler, l. c.), and perhaps long known on the coasts of Massachusetts Bay.
[251] Broad-leaved wormwood, “our common and best-knowne wormwood” (Gerard, p. 1096),—Artemisia absynthium, L. “Roadsides and amongst rubbish,” 1785,—Cutler, l. c. Omitted by Bigelow, and not very frequent.
[252] Gerard, p. 388. If this is to be taken for Rumex acutus, Sm. (Fl. Brit.), which seems not to be certain, it is now referable to R. conglomeratus, Murr., which is “sparingly introduced” with us, according to Gray (Man., p. 377). But it is more likely that Josselyn had R. crispus, L. (curled dock), in view: which is, I suppose, the “varietie” of sharp-pointed dock, “with crisped or curled leaves,” of Johnson’s Gerard, p. 387; and is the only mention of the species by those authors.
[253] Gerard, p. 389,—Rumex Patientia, L. This and the next were garden pot-herbs of repute: and, at p. 90, our author brings them in again as such; telling us that bloodwort grows “but sorrily,” but patience “very pleasantly.” This may very likely have crept out of some garden: but the great water-dock (R. Hydrolapathum, Huds.) is, says Gerard, “not unlike to the garden patience” (p. 390); and Dr. Gray says the same of the American variety of the former.—Man., p. 377.
[254] Gerard, p. 390,—Rumex sanguineus, L., “sown for a pot-herb in most gardens” (Gerard); and so our author, [p. 90]. Linnæus took it to be originally American: but it is common in Europe; and Dr. Gray marks the American plant as naturalized. Dr. Torrey indicated the species as occurring about New York in 1819 (Catal. Pl., N.Y.); but New-England botanists do not appear to have recognized it. Josselyn’s plant was perhaps the offcast of some garden.
[255] Gerard, p. 404.—Compare [p. 42] of this; where our author more correctly reckons it among plants truly common to Europe and America.
[256] “Common knot-grasse” (Gerard, p. 565),—Polygonum aviculare, L. Common to all the great divisions of the earth, and reckoned indigenous in America.—De Cand. Geogr. Bot., vol. i. p. 577; Gray, Man., p. 373.
[257] There are many chickweeds in Gerard; but that most likely to have been in the author’s view here is the universally known common chickweed,—the middle or small chickweed of Gerard, p. 611. This was “common in gardens and rich cultivated ground” in 1785.—Cutler, l. c. Few plants have spread so widely over the earth as Stellaria media.
[258] Great comfrey (Gerard, p. 806),—Symphytum officinale, L.: also in the list of garden herbs at p. 90. “Sometimes found growing wild,”—Cutler (1785), l. c. Not admitted by Dr. Bigelow (Fl. Bost.), but included by Dr. Gray as an adventive.—Man., p. 320.
[259] Gerard, p. 757,—Maruta cotula (L.), DC.; a naturalized member of our Flora, now become a very common ornament of roadsides; where Cutler notices it, also, in 1785.