18 FAMILY HERBAL, 



fe-treaked with purple on the top, and li^V€ yeh 

 low threads in the middle. The leaves are long 

 and narrow, hollowed and sharp-pointed; the root 

 is composed of several oblong lumps... The rooc 

 is the part used in medicine, and it 'is sdid to 

 be good against all obstructions, particularly a.- 

 gainst those of the menses. 



There is another kind of asphodel with yellow 

 flowers, the root of which is said to possess the 

 same virtues^ but it is more rarely used than the 



©ther. 



The AsAFCETiDA Plakt. Asafoctida heria. 



I 



THIS is a Persian plant, and is a Tery tall 



and robust one. It grows to nine feet high, 

 and the stalks are as thick as a child's leg; 

 ihey are hollow and divided toward the tops into 

 several branches. The leaves are very larg^ 

 and composed of many smaller s^i upon a divided 

 rib. They resemble in some degree the leaves 

 of the piony. The large ones rise immediately 

 from the root, ami smaller of the same form 

 stand at distances upon the stalks, one at each 

 joint. The flowers are singly very small, but 

 they stand in vast clusters or umbels at the tops 

 of the stalks ; and the seeds follow two after each 

 flower ; they are large, broad, and striated, and 

 have the same smell with the gum, but not so 

 strong. The root is very long and thick ; it is 

 black on the outside and white within, and is 

 full of a thick juice of a strong smell, which, 

 when hardened, is asafoetida such as we see. 



No part of the plant is used but only this 

 gum or hardened juice of- the root. They 

 cut off the top of the root and let the juice 

 that rises from the wound dry. It becomes 



