FAMILY HERBAL. ^59 



pENNi-ROYAL. PulegiUTJl. 



h. WILD plants creeping about oa raarshy 

 places, with little leaves^ and tufts of red flowers at 

 the joints. The stalks are a foot long-^ rounds B.nd 

 often of a reddish colour. The leaves are small 

 broad, and pointed at the ends, and of a pale grec 

 colour. The flowers stand round the joints in thick 

 clusters : they are like those of mint, and of a 



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pale red, and the cups ia which they stand are greeu, 

 and a little hairy. The whole plant has a strong 

 penetrating snaell, and an acrid but fiat disagreeable 

 taste. 



The whole plant is used, fresh or dried ; but 

 that which grows wild, is much stronger than the 

 larger ^kind, which is cultivated in gardens, Tlie 

 simple water is the best way of taking it^ though 

 it will do very well in infusion, or by way of tea. 

 It is excellent against stoppages of the menses. 



Black Pjeppdr. Piper nigrum. 



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«% 



AN eastern plant, of a very singular kind. It 

 ^rows six or eight feet in length, but the stalks are 

 notable to support themselves upright: they ar<e 

 found, green, jointed, and thick, and when they 

 trail upo» the ground, roots ^re gent forth from these 

 joints. The leave* are large, of an oval figure, 

 of a firm substance, and ribbed highly : lliey stand 

 on short pedicles, one at each joint. The flowers 

 are small and inconsidej^able : they grow to the 

 italk. The fruit succeeds, which is what we call 

 p pper : they hang upon a long stalk, twenty or 

 forty together : they are 'green at first, hut when 

 ripe they arc red : they grow black and wrinkled 

 ia d ry iag ^'^'^ largest &nd least TYrinklcd on the 

 Coat, »ro tliC beit grains. 



