FAMILY HERBAL. 1\3 



matter. The flowers are small and purple: they 

 grow in oblong and slender scaly heads, in the 

 manner of those of origanum ; and these heads are 

 themselves very beautiful, being variegated with 

 green and purple. The whole plant has a fragrant 

 smell. 



The leaves are used, our druggists keep them 

 dried. The old writers attribute miracles to it in 

 the cure of wounds ; at present it is seldom used 

 alone ; hut it is good in nervous disorders, and 

 it promotes the menses, and strengthens the sto- 

 mach. 



White Dittany. Fraxinella, 



A VERY beautiful plant, native of many of the 

 warmer parts of Europe ; but with us kept only 

 in gardens. It is three foot high, yery much 

 branched and very beautiful. The stalks are round, 

 thick, firm, and of a green or purplish colour. The 

 leaves stand irregularly on them, and are like those 

 of the ash tree, only smaller. The flowers are 

 large and elegant : they are of a pale red, white, or 

 striped ; and they stand in a kind of spikes at the 

 lop of the branches. The whole plant is covered 

 in the summer months with a kind of balsam, 

 which is glutinous to the touch, and of a very fra- 

 grant smell. This is so inflammable., that if a candle 

 he brought near any part of the plant, it takes fire 

 and goes off in a flash all over ihe plant. Yrn> 

 does it no harm, and may be repeated after three or 

 four days, a new quantity of the balsam being pro- 

 duced in that time. The roots of this plant are (he 

 only part used, and they are kept dry by the drug- 

 gists. They are commended in fevers, and in 

 nervous and hysteric cases, but their virtues arc 

 not great, I ha?c found an infusion of tb<e fops of 



