FUMARIA, FUMITORY; a genus of the hexandria order, belonging to the diadelphia class of plants. There are a number of different species; all of them low, shrubby, and deciduous and evergreen plants, growing from two to six or seven feet high, adorned with small simple leaves, and papilionaceous flowers of different colours. The most remarkable is the officinalis, or common fumitory; which grows naturally in shady cultivated grounds, and produces spikes of purplish flowers in May and June. It is very juicy, of a bitter taste, without any remarkable smell.—The medical effects of this herb are, to strengthen the tone of the bowels, gently loosen the belly, and promote the urinary and other natural secretions. It is principally recommended in melancholic, scorbutic, and cutaneous disorders, for opening obstructions of the viscera, attenuating and promoting the evacuation of viscid juices. Frederic Hoffman had a very great opinion of it as a purifier of the blood; and assures us, that in this intention scarce any plant exceeds it.—Cows and sheep eat the plant; goats are not fond of it; horses and swine refuse it.