FAMILY HERBAL. lua 



and distinguished by its stubborn stalks and low 

 growth. It is not above a foot high, often much 

 less. The leaves are narrow, short, and of a 

 dusky green. The stalk is thick, reddish, some- 

 what flatted, and upright. The ear is flat ; and 

 is composed of a double row of short spikes : this, 

 as w ell as the stalky is often of a purplish colour. 



The root is composed of a great quantity of whitish 

 fibres, "^ 



The roots are to be used ; and they are best dried 

 and given in powder. They are a very excellent 

 astringent ; good against purging, overflowing of 

 the menses, and all other fluxes, and bleeding; 

 but the last operation is slow, and they must be con- 

 tinued. 'Tis a medicine fitter, therefore, for ha* 

 bitual complaints of this kind, than sudden illness. 



There is an old opinion that the seeds of darnellj 

 when by chance mixed with corn, and made into 

 bread, which may happen, whf n it grows in corn- 

 fields, occasions dizziness of the head, sickness of 

 the stomach, and all the bad effects of drunkenness : 

 they are said also to hurt the eyes ; but we have 

 very little assurance of these etrects ; nor are they 

 \ery probable. They properly behmg to another 

 kind of darnell, distinguished by the name of \s bite 

 darncll ; which is a tailer plant, and more commoa 

 in corn-fields than the red ; but this is very much 

 to be suspected upon the face of the account, Tl;e 

 antients make frequent mention of this kind of 

 darnell, growing, to their great distress^ among the . 

 wheat ; but by the accidental hints some have 



given about its height, and the shape of its ear, 

 they seem to have meant the common dog's grass 

 or couch grass, under that name ; though others 

 have seemed to understand the distinction. In this 

 uncertainty, however, remains the matter about 

 ^hicb particular kind of grass was really accused 



