FAMILY HERBAL. 115 



*.nd sharp at the point. The flowers are small, 

 and of a greenish colour with some white threads, 

 and they afterwards become brown. The root is 

 large,, long, and of a reddish brown. 



It is a good remedy in the scurvy. The root con- 

 tains the greatest virtues, and it is to be given in 

 diet drinks. The seeds of this, and all other docks, 

 arc astringent, and good against purgings. 



Garden Dock, called Monks' Rhubarb. Lapa- 

 tham sativum, patientia. 



A TALL plant of the dock kind, a native of 

 Italy, and kept in our gardens for its virtues. It 

 grows six or seven feet high. The stalk is round, 

 striated, thick, upright, and firm. The leaves are 

 very large, long, and are pointed at the extremity : 

 they stand upon thick hollowed foot stalks ; and 

 the main stalk of the plant is also frequently red. 

 The flowers are like those of the other docks, 

 greenish and white at first, but afterwards brown ; 

 but they are larger than in almost any other kind. 

 The root is very large, long, and divided ; the outer 

 coat is of a brownish yellow ; within, it is yellow 

 mixed with red. This is the part used ; it has been 

 called monks' rhubarb, from its possessing some of the 

 virtues of the true rhubarb ; but it possesses them 

 only in a slight degree, it is very little purgative, 

 and less astringent : It works by urine as well as 

 stool, and is good in the jaundice, and other disor- 

 ders arising from obstructions. 



There is another plant of the dock kind, called 

 bastard rhubarb, kept in some gardens, and mista- 

 ken for this. The leaves of it are roundish. It baa 

 the same virtues with the monks' rhubarb, but in a 

 much less degree, so that it is very wrong to use it 

 in its place. 



