FAMILY -HERBAL. 2S3 



owing to the gentleman who brought it over, and 

 with it some of the plant, for the inspection of thf> 

 curious. The roots of the English polygala were 

 tried ; those of the common blue or white (lowered 

 milkwort, (for that variety is purely accidental,) 

 and they were found to have the same eifects : 

 they were given by some in pleurisies, with great 

 success. It was said at that time they had less 

 virtues than the seneca root, though of the same 

 kind : but it must be remembered, the virtues of 

 the seneca root were then supposed to be much 

 greater than they really were. The novelty adding 

 to the praise. 



Common Reed, Arundo. 



A tall water plant sufficiently known. The 

 stalks are round, hard, jointed, and six or eight 

 feet high. The leaves are long and broad, but other- 

 wise like those of grass, of a pale green colour, and 

 highly ribbed. The flowers are brown and chaffy, and 

 stand in prodigious numbers at the tops of the stalks, 

 in a kind of panicle. The roots are knotty and 

 jointed and spread vastly. 



The juice of the fresh roots of reeds promotes the 

 menses powerfully, but not violent! v. It is an ex- 

 cellent medicine : it works by urine also ; and is 

 good against stranguries and the gravel. 



Prickly Restiiarrow. Anonis spinosa. 



A little, tough, and almost shrubby plant, 

 common in our dry fields, and by road sides. It is 

 a foot high. The stalks are round, reddish, tough, 

 and almost woody. The leaves arc numerous : 

 they stand three on every foot stalk, and groyy 



