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DITTANY OF CRETE.— ("(V^onwm Dictcmnut.) 



Descinp. — A very pretty plant that grows six or ei^ht 

 inches high ; the stalks are square, slender, hard, woody, 

 and braDched : the leaves are short, broad, and roundish ; 

 they stand two at every joint, and are covered with a 

 white downy matter. The flowers are small and purple : 

 they grow in oblong and slender scaly heads, in the man- 

 ner of those of origanum : and these heads are themselves 

 very pretty, being elegantly variegated with green and 

 purple. It resembles penny-royal much, only the leaves 

 are larger. 



Place. — It originally came from the isle of Candia, but 

 grows with us in gardens. 



Time. — It flowers at the latter end of July, and begin- 

 ning of August. 



Government and Virtues. — It is an herb of Venue, and 

 possesses the virtues of penny-royal, but in a superior 

 degree. It is an excellent wound herb, and in much 

 reputation among the ancients, for which Virgil may bf 

 quoted. It is good in decoction with wine, to procure 

 speedy and easy deliverance, or with vervain, hyssop, and 

 pJenny-royal ; or boiled in ale, is more effectual for the 

 same purpose. Dittany and milk are good for spitting 

 of blood. Bruised with polipody, and mixed with hogs* 

 lard, it draws splinters out of the flesh, and heals ; the 

 roots are cordial and cephalic, resist putrefaction and poi- 

 son, and are useful in malignaoc and pestilential distem- 

 pers. The whole herb is ^ood for diseases of the head, 

 and to open all manner of obstructions. It is a consi- 

 derable mgredient in the Venice treacle, mithridate, and 

 diascordium. 



DITTANY (WHITE.)— CiWc^awww* Albus.) 



Called also Bastard, or False Dittany, or Dictamnaniy 

 and Fraxinella. 



Descrip. — This species of Dittany resembles in its 

 leaves those of the ash-tree, only smaller, and from whence 

 it derives its name. It grows about three feet high, very 

 much branched, and very beautiful. The stalks are 

 round, thick, firm, and of a green and purple colour, ac- 

 cording to its state of forwardness. The leaves stand 

 irregularly, the flowers are large and elegant ; they are of 

 apaleired^ white^ or striped, and sometimes ligbt-bloe, 



