Fi\MILY HERBAL. 115 



and sliarp at (he point. The flowers are small^ 

 and of a greenish colour with some white threads, 

 and they afterwards become brown. The root is 

 large^ long, and of a reddish brown. 



It is a good remedy in the scurvy. The rci^ot con- 

 tains the greatest virtues, and it is to be giv^^n in 



diet drink 



dock 



astringent^ and good 



Gaeden Dock^ tailed Monrs* Rhubarb. Lapa- 



thum sativum^ patientia. 



A TALL plant of the dock kind, a native of 



Italy, and kept in our gardens for its virtues. It 

 grows six or seven feet high. The stalk is round, 

 striated, thick, upright, and firm. The leaves are 

 very large, long, and are pointed at the extremity : 

 they stand upon thick hollowed foot stalks ; and 

 the main stalk of the plant is also frequently red. 

 The flowers are like those of the other duckf^ 

 greenish and white at first, but afterwards brown ; 

 but they are larger than in almost any other kind. 

 The root is very large, long, and divided ; the outer 

 coat is of a brownish yellow ; within^ it is yellow 

 mixed with red. This is the part used ; it has been 

 called monks' rhubarb, from its possessing some of the 



rhubarb : but 



only in a slight deg 



gativ 



and less astringent: It works by urine as well as 

 stool, and is good in the jaundice, and other disor- 

 ders arising from obstructions. 



There is another plant of the dock kind, called 

 bastard rhubarb, kept in some gardens, and mista^ 

 ken for this. The leaves of it are roundish. It has 

 the same virtues with the monks' rhubarb, but in a 

 much less degree^ so that it is very wrong to use iK 

 m its place. 



