660 ORD. XL, Oleraceve. 
defoedations, and in visceral obstructions: and in order to give the 
Hydrolapathum additional importance, Muntingius has taken great 
pains to prove that it is the Herba Britannica of the ancients;* but 
many physicians still think this root does not peculiarly differ from 
other astringents, and are sceptical enough to place no faith in the 
great virtues ascribed to it by Muntingius and Sir John Hill. — 
© Diss. Hist. Med. de vera herba Britannica. See Dios. l. 4... 2. Plin. lib. 
25. ¢€.:3. 
The powdered root is said by Murray to be an excellent dentrifice. App. Med. 
vol. 3. p. 344 
RUMEX ACETOSA. COMMON SORREL. 
SYNONYMA.  Acetosa. Pharm. Lond. & Edinb.  Acetosa 
pratensis. Bauk. Pim peii4, Oxaliscrispa. J. Bauh. ii. p. 
990. Oxalis seu Acetosa. Gerard. Emac. p.396. Acetosa vul- 
garis. Park. p. 742. Lapathum acetosum vulgare. Raii Synop. 
p. 148. Raii Hist. p. 178, Lapathum sexubus distinctis, foliis 
sagittatis, hamis retrorsum porrectis. Hal. Stirp. Helv. n. 1597, 
R. Acetosa. - Withering. Bot. Arrang. p. 376.  Relhan Flor. 
Cant. p. 149. ILudson’s Ang. 156. 
Class Hexandria.* Ord, Trigynia. Lin. Gen. Plant. A51, 
ss. Gen. Ch. Cal. 3-phyllus. Petala 3, conniventia. Sem. 1, 
triquetrum. 
Sp. Ch. R. Flor. dioicis, fol. oblongis sagittatis. 
THE root is perennial, slender, long, and fibrous: the stalk is. 
erect, channelled, branched at the top, partially of a purplish red 
colour, and usually rises from one to two feet in height: the 
* This plant, according to the strictness of methodical system, ought to belong 
to the class Dioecia, as the flowers are distinctly male and female in different 
plants: our figure represents the former. 
