POTENTILLA REPTANS, ORD. XXVII. Senticose. A91 
placed together, and sometimes seven, of unequal size, elliptical, 
obtuse, serrated, veined, somewhat hairy, and sifting close to 
the common footstalk, which is of considerable length, and rises 
from the stoloniferous joints of the stem: the stipule stand in 
pairs, and are composed of three ovalish seeds: the flowers are 
yellow, and placed singly upon long slender peduncles: the 
corolla consists of five petals, which are inversely heart-shaped, 
of a bright yellow colour, and inserted into the calyx by short 
claws: the calyx is a perianthium of one leaf, divided into ten 
pointed segments, which are alternately smaller, and frequently 
turned back: the filaments are about twenty, short, tapering, 
and inserted at the glandular base of the calyx, and crowned by 
oblong, flattish, double-celled yellow anthera: the germina are 
numerous, and form a conical head, supporting short styles, ter- 
minated by blunt stigmata: the seeds are numerous, small, and 
of a brown colour. It flowers from July till September, and is 
comnion on meadow banks, and on the sides of roads. 
The roots of this plant have a bitterish styptic taste, and give 
out their astringent matter both to water and spirit, They were 
used by Hippocrates and Dioscorides, and by the former par- 
ticularly recommended for the cure of intermittents* And Ray 
tells us, that the peasantry stilk employ them with this intention." 
The medicinal quality of Cinquefoil is confined to the external 
or cortical part of the root, and depends merely upon its astringent 
effects; it has therefore been chiefly prescribed internally in 
diarrhoeas and other fluxes, and externally in gargles and as- 
tringent lotions: but as its efficacy is much inferior to many 
other plants of this class, the Cinquefoil is now rarely used. In 
large doses, however, it may be found no bad substitute for some 
ef the other astringents. 
* De Morb. 1. 2. p. 473. Féos. 
* Hist, Plant. p.c. See also Senac de recond. febr. interm. nat. p. 185. 
