ACANTHUS, BEAR'S Baszen, or BnxrK-ThiSkz, in botany, a genus of the Didyn:unia Angiospermia class, and be longing to the natural order of Personatz. There are ten species : 1. The smooth acanthus, with white flowers, proceeding from about the middle to the top of the stalk, is the species used in medicine un der the name of Branca ursina, or Drank ursine. It is a native of Italy, about Na ples, of Sicily, Provence, and the islands of the Archipelago, and is cultivated in our gardens, and flowers i n June and July. Turner (in his Herbal in Hort. Kew.) in forms us, that it was cultivated in Sion gardens so long ago as the year 1551. The leaves, and particularly the roots, abound with a soft, insipid mucilage, which may be readily extracted, either by boiling or by infusion. Rectified spirit digested on the leaves, extracts from them a fine deep green tincture, which is more durable than that which is communicated to spirit by other herbs. Brank-ursine is seldom or ever used medicinally in this country. But where it is common, it is employed for the same purposes to which the Althea, or marsh-mallow, and other mucilaginous vegetables, are applied among us. In fo reign countries the cow-parsnip is said to be substituted for it, though it possesses very different properties. The leaves of this speci es of acanthus accidentally grow ing round a basket covered with a tile, gave occasion to Callimachus to invent the Corinthian capital in architecture. 2. The thistle-leaved acanthus was found by Sparrman at the Cape of Good llope, and has many leaves, proceeding immediately from the root, resembling those of the thistle. 3. The prickly 'acanthus grows wild in ltaly and Provence, and flowers from July to September. Its leaves are divided into segments, terminated with a sharp spine, which renders this plant trou blesome to those who handle it. 4. The
acanthus of Dioscorides, Linnmus sup poses it to be, grows naturally in the East, on Lebanon, &c. 5. The holly-leaved acanthus is an evergreen shrub, about four feet high, and separating into many branches, with leaves resembling those of the common holly, and bearing white flowers, similar to those of the common acanthus, but smaller. 6, 7, 8, 9. These species, viz. the entire-leaved, procum bent, forked, and Cape acanthi, are na tives of the Cape of Good Hope. 10. The Madm_s acanthus is a native of the East Indies.
The smooth and prickly acanthi are pe rennial plants, and tnay be propagated ei ther by seeds, which should be sown in a light dry soil towards the end of March, and left to grow, about six inches asunder, till autumn, when they should be trans planted where they are to remain : or by roots, which may be planted either in spring or autumn for the third sort; but the others must only be removed in the spring, because, if they am tran,splanted in au tumn, they may be in danger of being de stroyed by a cold winter. These plants take deep root, and when they are once established in a garden, they cannot be easily eradicated. The 5th and 10th spe cies are too tender to thrive ottt of a stove in England, and cannot be propagated, except by seeds, which do not ripen in Europe. The other sorts must be treat ed in the same manner with Cape plants.
Awernes, in architecture, an orna ment representing the leaves of the herb acanthus, and used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders. See Axel] !TM:TIME.