148 FAMILY HERBAL 



G 



Galangal Plant. Galanga. 



A wild plant in the East, which grows by wa- 

 ters, and has some resemblance of the generality 

 of our water plants in its leaves, and manner of 

 growth. It is two feet and a half high, and has 

 white flowers. The roots spread about the surface, 

 and are of an irregular shape. The leaves are a 

 foot long, not half an inch broad, sharp at the point, 

 and at the edges. The stalk is firm, thick, round, 

 and of a purplish green ; the flowers are small, and 

 of a snow white ; they consist of a larger upper 

 lip, and a smaller tender one, each divided into three 

 parts. The seed-vessels are oblong, and have each 

 three divisions, containing many seeds. The roots 

 have a very acrid taste, and are reddish : as we 

 have two sorts of galangal roots at the druggists, 

 it might be expected there should be found two 

 galangal plants, but they are both the roots of the 

 same. 



The lesser galangal is most used : it is a warm 

 and line stomachic, we put it in all bitter tinctures. 

 Head-aches which arise from disorders in the sto- 

 mach, are greatly relieved by this root. What is 

 called English galangal, is the root of the long 

 cyperus, described already in its place. 



Garlic. *4 Ilium. 



A plant kept in our gardens for its uses in 

 medicine, and in the kitchen. It grows two 

 fret and a half high. The. leaves arc broad, long, 

 and of a strong jrreen. The stalk is round, smooth, 

 a- -I firm, upright, and of a pale whitish or bluish 



