186 FAMILY HERBAL* 



r 



walls in some parls of England. It is eight inchfS- 

 higb^ and is distinguished at sight, bj a cluster of 

 round leaves which grow about the stalk. The 

 root is round ishj and its fibres grow from the bottom. 

 The leaves stand on longish and thick foot stalks, 

 which are^ except in the lowest of all, inserted not 

 at the edges of the leaf, but in the middle: these 

 ire round, thick, fleshy, and indented about the 

 edges. The stalk which bears the flowers is round, 

 thick, and towards the top, divided into two or 

 three branches ; on these grow the flowers, in a 

 kind of spikes : they are oblong, hollowish, and of 

 a greenish white colour. 



The leaves are the part used. ^ Externally, they 

 arc cooling, and good against pains. They are 

 applied bruised to the piles, with great success. 

 The juice of them taken inwardly, operates by 

 urine, and is excellent against stranguries, and good 

 in the graA^el, and inflammations of the liver and 



spleen. 



Knap-weed. Jacea. 



A VERY common \yild plant, vs^ith dark colour- 

 ed longish leaves^ and purple flowers, like those of 

 thistles. It is two feet high. The stalks are 

 roundish, but ribbed : they are of a pale colour, 

 verj firm and strong, upright, and divided into 

 branches. The leaves are long, and of the same 

 breadth : Those which grow immediately from the 

 root, are but little jagged or cut at the edges : 

 those which stand upon the stalk, are more s^o. 

 The flowers are large ; they stand in scaly heads, 

 one of which is placed at the top of every branch ; 

 and at a distance, they have something of the ap- 

 peal ance of the flowers of thistles, but when 



ex- 



ammed nearer, they are more like those of the bl 



