The Ufeful Family Herbal, 157 | 
the Vifera, and is good againft the Jaundice, and 
all other Difeafes arifing from Obftruétions. = 
The Furze Busn. SS 
GENISTA SPINOSA. = 
A Wild Bufh, upon our Heaths, and by Road 
Sides, too common to need much Defcription. — 
The Stem is thick, tough, and of a whitifh Co- 
dour, covered with Fragments of an irregular Kind. 
The Branches are extremely numerous, and fpread 
in fuch a manner, that when the Plant is left to 
itfelf, it forms a Kind of globular or femi-glo- 
bular Tuft upon the Ground. The Thorns are 
very numerous and very fharp, they ftand as it 
were one upon another. The Leaves are little, and 
of a pale Green, and they fall off fo quickly, that 
for a great Part of the Year, we fee the Shrub 
. Without any. The Flowers are yellow and beau- 
tiful, and the Seeds are contained in Pods. The 
Root fpreads a great Way, and is not eafily got 
up, when the Shrub has once thoroughly fixed it- 
felf. Every Piece of it left in, will fend up a 
new Plant. : 
_ The Root and the Seeds are ufed, but neither 
much. The Seeds dried and powdered are aftrin- 
ent and a proper Ingredient in Electuaries,among —_- 
other Things of that Intention. The Bark of - 
the Root is ufed frefh taken up, and is to be given 
in Infufion: It works by Urine, and is good a- 
gainft the Gravel ; but we have fo many better _ 
Things of our own Growth for the fame Purpofe, 
that it is fcarce worth while to meddle with it ; it 
lofes it Virtues by drying: 
