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EJf, Gen. Ch, Cor, fexlida. Bacca maculofa 3-locuIaris. 
. Ch, C. foliis alternis amplexicaiilibus, caiile ancipiti, peduiiculis 
axillaribus fubunifloris. 
TH E root is perennial, lionzontal, white, fibrous, befet 'with 
knobs, and faid ^ to be marked with circuLir depreffions, refembUn 
the impreffions of a feal ; hence the name Solomon s SeaL The ftalk 
is inclined, angular, fmooth, and rifes about a foot in height : the 
leaves are oval, pointed, ribbed, fmooth, above of a deep green 
colour, underneath glaucous, and at the bafe embrace the ftem : the 
flowers are long, bell-ihaped, white, or tinged with green -, divided 
at the extremity into fix fhort -fegments, and hang from the fame 
fide of the ftalk upon flender peduncles : the filaments are fix, taper- 
ins:, fliort, and inferted in the corolla : the anthers are oblons; and 
ere£t : the ftyle is filiform, longer .than the ftamina, and crowned with 
a blunt triangular ftigma : the germen is round, and when ripe be 
comes a black berry, divided into three cells, each containing a fingle 
round feed. It grows in the rocky and woody parts of England, and 
flowers in May and Tune. 
The root, which is the medicinal part of Solomon's Seal, is very 
enerally, by writers on the Materia Medica, referred to the Con- 
vallaria multiflora of Linnseus, or the Polygonatum latifolium vulgare 
of C. Bauhin. It is of a mucilaginous ^ quality, and has long been 
^ 
commonly employed as a difcutient poultice to various kinds of 
tumours, but more particularly to bruifes, accompanied with extra- 
vafation of blood in the cellular membrane:'' it is alfo recommend- 
ed as a cofmetic ; and in Galen's time was ufed by women to 
remove pimples and freckles of the fkin. Of its aftringent effeds, 
when taken internally, there can be no well grounded expedation. 
The berries, flowers, and leaves, are extremely acrid, and are faid to 
be of a poifonous quality.** 
Thefe depreffions are more peculiarly chara6leriftlc of the Convallaria multiflora. 
^ As a proof that thefe roots contain a confiderabie proportion of farinaceous matter, 
Bergius fays, " Panem e radice recente, addita farina frumenti, annonse caritate coxerunt 
ruftici noftrates, qui fufcus fuit, & fubglutinofo fapore." M. M. 271. 
Cataplafma e radice familiare remedium eft in fugillationlbus, & In omnI contu- 
fione, fanguinem grumofum eiHcacIter difcutiens." Rutty M. M. 403. 
^ Vide Haller Stirp. Hdv. No. 1243. Geoff. M. M. 
CARUM CARUL 
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