^e Ufefid Family Herbal. 123 



at the Extremity : They ftand upon thick hollow- 

 ed Foot Stalks ; and the main Stalk of the Plant 

 IS alfo frequently red. The Flowers are like thofe 

 of the other Docksj greeniih and white at firft, 

 but afterwards brown ; but they are Targer than 

 in almoft any other kind. The Root is very 

 large, long, and divided-, the outer Coat is of a 

 brownifh Yellow ; within, it is yellow mixed with 

 red/ This is the Part ufed; it has been called 

 Monks Rhubarb from its poffcffing fome of the 

 Virtues of the true Rhubarb-, but itpo-fleffes them 

 only in a flight Degree, it is very little purgative, 

 and lefs aftringent : It works by Urine as well 

 as Stool, and is good in the Jaundice, and other 

 Diforders arifing from Obfl:ru(5bions. 



There is another Plant of the Dock Kiiid called 

 Baftard Rhubarb, kept in fome Gardens and mif- 

 taken for this. The Leaves of it are roundilli. 

 It has the fame Virtues with the Monks Rhu-- 

 barb, but in a much lefs Degree, fo that it is ve- 

 TY wrong to ufe it in its Place. 



Dodder. 

 CO SCUT A. 



Very ftrange and fingular Plant, but not un-. 



common with us. It confifls of only Stalks 

 and Flowers, for there are no Leaves, ncu" the 

 lead Refemblance of any. The Stalks are a Foot 

 or two in Length, and they fallen themfelves to 

 other Plants •, they are of a purplifh Colour, as 

 thick as a fmall Pack-Thread, and confiderably 

 tough and firm. Thefe wind themfelves about 

 the Branches of the Plants, and entangle them- 

 felves alfo with one another in fuch a Manner, 

 that there is no End of the Perplexity of tracing 



^d unfolding them. The Flowers grow in little 



Heads 



