Pulmonaria
(from pulmo, pulmonis, a lung; the spotted leaves were supposed to resemble diseased lungs, and hence, by the "doctrine of signatures," a supposed efficacy in the disease was ascribed to the plants). Lungwort. ORD. Boragineae. A genus comprising four species of hardy, perennial herbs, natives of Europe, and mostly Western Asia. Flowers blue or rose-purple, pedicellate, disposed in terminal, bifid cymes; lower ones, or almost all, bracteate; calyx five-fid; corolla funnel-shaped, with a cylindrical tube and five imbricated, broad, obtuse, spreading lobes. Nutlets four, broad, erect. Leaves generally spotted with white; radical ones usually ample, petiolate; cauline ones few, alternate. The species are of easy culture in almost any moderately good garden soil. Propagated by dividing the clumps in early spring. Several species formerly included here are now referred to Mertensia (which see). P. angustifolia (narrow-leaved).* Blue Cowslip. fl. at first pink, but ultimately bright blue; racemes twin, capitate. Spring. l. oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, clothed with soft, down-like hairs. h. 1ft. Europe (Britain). (Sy. En. B. 1097.) P. mollis (soft). fl. blue; calyx rather longer than the tube of the corolla. April and May. l., radical ones elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, decurrent into the broadly-winged petiole; cauline ones ovate-lanceolate semi-amplexicaul. h. 9in. Europe, Siberia, &c., 1805.(B. M. 2422.) P. officinalis (officinal). Sage of Bethlehem, &c., fl. red at first, then violet, terminal. Spring. l. scabrous, radical ones ovate-cordate, cauline ones ovate-oblong, sessile, spotted with white. h. 1ft. Europe, &c. (Britain).(Sy. En. B. 1098.) There is a white-flowered form of this species. P. saccharata (sugared).* fl. pink. June. l., radical ones oval, acuminate at both ends, decurrent at base into the short petioles; cauline ones sessile, ovate-oblong. h. 1ft. Europe, 1817.
