I'he Ufeful Family Her bah 225 



English Maidenhair. 



V 



TRICHOMANES. 



A Very pretty little Plant, of kin to the true 



Maidenhair, and frequently ufed in its 

 Place; but this is very wrong, for its Virtues are 

 no greater, and it is unpleafant* It grows 

 eight Inches, and each Leaf, as in the reft of the 

 Fern kind, is an intire Plant. This Leaf con- 

 lifts of a vaft Number of fmall ones, fet on each 

 Side a middle Rib, and they are very fliort and 

 obtufe, of a roundilh, but fomewhat oblong Fi- 

 gure. The Stalk is flender, black, and ftiining, 

 and the little Leaves are of a bright and ftron 

 green Colour* The Seeds are lodged as in the 

 reft, in form of a 'brown Duft, on the under 



Part of thefe Leaves. 



The Plant grows frequently on the Sides of old 

 Wells, and on damp Walls, and it is ufed intire. 

 A Syrup, made from an Infufion of it, is the beft 



ihift we could make, for the true French Capil- 

 laire j but that is fo eafy to be had, that no fuch 

 lliift is neceflary : An Infufion of the dry Plant 

 may alfo be ufed. 



White Maidenhair. 



ADIANTUM ALBUM. 



TV Very little Plant of the Fern Kind, and of the 

 "^ Nature of the two others jufl dcfcribed. 

 Some will be furprized at the calling it a very 

 little Plant, having feen Leaves a Foot long, fold 

 in Covent-Garden, under that Name \ but this is 

 an Impofition : They fell a Kind of Water Fern , 

 under this Name. The real white Maidenha-r, 

 is not above two Inches high. The Stalks are 

 very flender, and of a whitilh Green, not black 



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