Chap. 54.] OAROS OE HTPEEICON. 185 



resembles purslain in appearance, but has a darker root, that 

 is never used : it grows upon the sands of the sea-shore, and 

 has a bitter taste. Taken in wine with root of asparagus, it 

 is remarkably useful for diseases of the bladder. 



CHAP. 53. — HTPEKICON, CHAMiEPITTS, OR CORISON" : NINE 

 EEMEDIES. 



Hypericon,*^ otherwise known as the ''charasepitys"^^ or 

 " corison,"^'' is possessed of similar properties. It is a plant^^ 

 with a stem like that" of a garden vegetable, thin, red, and a 

 cubit in length. The leaf is similar to that of rue, and has 

 an acrid smell : the seed is enclosed in a swarthy pod, and 

 ripens at the same time as barley. This seed is of an astringent 

 nature, arrests diarrhoea, and acts as a diuretic : it is taken 

 also for diseases of the bladder, in wine. 



CHAP. 54. CAEOS OE HYPERICON : TEN EEMEDIES. 



There is another hypericon also, known as '* caros"^^ by 

 some. The leaves of it resemble those of the tamarix,^^ 

 beneath^° which it grows, but are more unctuous'''^ and not so 

 red. It is an odoriferous plant, somewhat more than a palm^ 

 in height, of a sweet davour, and slightly pungent. The seed 

 is of a warming nature, and is consequently productive of eruc- 

 tations ; it is not, however, injurious to the stomach. This 

 plant is particularly useful for strangury, provided the bladder 



*^ Perhaps so called from the impressions on the leaves, vnep and iiKcov, 

 or else from its resemblance to heath, vTrtp and ipkiKt]. See, however 

 Note 55 below. ■^^ " Ground pine." 



50 Sillig reads this "corissum." Former editions have " corion." 



5^ Identified by Fee with the Hypericum perforatum of Linnaeus, the 

 Perforated St. John's wort. Littre gives the Hypericum crispum of Linnaeus. 



°2 " Oleraceo." Another reading is " surculaceo," '' tough and ligneous \' 

 and is, perhaps, preferable. 



5^ " Coris " is the old and more common reading, Fee identifies it with 

 the Hypericum coris of Linnaeus, and Brotero with the H. saxatile of 

 Tournefort. Desfontaines gives as its synonym the Coris Monspelliensis. 



^ See B. xxiv. c. 41. 



55 It is not improbable, supposing the " tamarix " to be one of the 

 Erica3, that to this circumstance it may owe its name. Indeed Dioscorides 

 has ipeiKt], in the corresponding passage. 



^ " Pinguioribus." 



*'' Dioscorides gives the stem larger dimensions. 



