Chap. 54.] CAEOS OE HYPEEICON. 185 



resembles purslain in appearance, but bas a darker root, tbat 

 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. HYPERICON, CHAMJEPITYS, OR CORISON : NINE 



REMEDIES. 



Hypericon, 48 otherwise known as the " chamaapitys" 49 or 

 " corison," 50 is possessed of similar properties. It is a plant 51 

 with a stem like that 52 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. CAROS OR HYPERICON ! TEN REMEDIES. 



There is another hypericon also, known as " caros" 53 by 

 some. The leaves of it resemble those of the tamarix, 54 

 beneath 55 which it grows, but are more unctuous 56 and not so 

 red. It is an odoriferous plant, somewhat more than a palm 57 

 in height, of a sweet flavour, 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 



48 Perhaps so called from the impressions on the leaves, virkp and eucaw, 

 or else from its resemblance to heath, v-Trep and ipKiKrj. See, however 

 Note 55 helow. 49 " Ground pine." 



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



51 Identified by Fee with the Hypericum perforatum of Linnaeus, the 

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



32 " Oleraceo." Another reading is " surculaceo," <4 tough and ligneous ;" 

 and is, perhaps, preferable. 



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

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

 Tournelbrt. Desfontaines gives as its synonym the Coris Monspelliensis. 



54 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 epeiKr], in the corresponding passage. 



56 Pinguioribus." 



87 Dioscorides gives the stem larger dimensions. 



