symphytism (simfitizm)

[ northern Africa, and western Asia, and occasionally natu ralized elsewhere, as S. of ficin ale in the eastern United States. They are commonly rough erect herbs, sometimes with a tuberous root. They bear alternate or mostly radical leaves, the uppermost sometimes nearly opposite. The flowers are blue, purplish, or yellowish, and form parted terminal cymes or simple one-sided racemes. The species, especially S. of ficin ale (see cut under scorpioid ), are known as comfrey. S. tuberosum with pale-yellow and S. asperri mum with light-blue flowers are occasionally cultivated for ornament. The latter, the prickly comfrey, is also a forage-plant, said to support large flocks and herds in the Caucasus, its native region. It has excited much interest and to some extent been introduced elsewhere, especially in Australia; it is a hardy plant, yielding heavily, and is relished by cattle after they have become accustomed to it, though commonly refused by them at first.