ee 
The BRI TESH Meee aT 
115 
It is common in woods, and in damp, fhady 
places. 
It Howers in July. 
The whole plant has a ftrong and difagreeable 
fmell, efpecially when in flower. 
C.Bauhine calls it Scrophularia nodofa fetida, 
from the tuberous knots about its roor, and its. 
ftrong {mell. Others, Scropbularia vulgaris. 
It is famous as a remedy for the evil: the 
method is to take a {trong decoétion of the roots 
daily for a great length of time. Thefe long and 
tedious cures are lefs certainly to be judged of 
than thofe performed. more fpeedily ; but there 
feems great authority to believe that this is a 
powerful and excellent medicine. 
In fome places there is a cuftom of brewing 
drink. with fome of this herb among it; and this 
‘root is celebrated for its virtues againft the 
fcurvy. When frefh, it gives the beer a moft 
difagreeable tafte; but this is not much perceived 
when ufed dry. 
It is famous alfo, both inwardly and outward- 
ly, againft the piles. 
The fingular form of the tuberous parts about 
the root led people to think of it as a remedy in 
this diforder, becaufe they were fuppofed to re- 
femble thofe fwellings; and, experience has 
fhewn, the plant has the virtues they imagined. 
A ftrong decoction of the root is good againft 
all foulnefles of the fkin, the itch not excepted : 
it fhould be taken inwardly, and the parts wafhed 
with fome of it alfo warm. 
An ointment is made in fome places of the 
leaves, boiled in lard, and ufed for the fame 
purpofes ; but the decoétion, or a putlice, made 
from the freth root, boiled foft with bread and 
milk, will anfwer the purpofe better. 
2. Water figwort, called Water betony. 
Scrophularia aquatica, 
The root is compofed of a great number of 
fibres. i ; 
_ The firft leaves are large, broad, oblong, and 
bluntly indented: they rife in a little tuft, and 
each has its feparate long footftalk: they have 
fome refemblance of the leaves of wood betony ; 
they are vaftly larger, but from this the plant 
has been commonly called water betony. 
The ftalk is thick, firm, upright, {quare, hol- 
low, and three foot high: it is alfo edged with a 
kind of wings, running from the footftalks of 
the leaves, and is ufually of a brown colour. 
The leaves ftand in pairs, and they have long 
footftalks. 
They refemble thofe from the root, and are 
of a pale green colour : they are oblong, bluntly 
indented, and terminate in a rounded end; and 
DIVISION JW, 
1. Yellow-flowered Figwort. 
Scrophularia flore luteo. 
The root is long and thick: it runs obliquely 
under the furface, and has numerous large fibres ; 
but none of thofe flethy tubercles that grow to 
the common kind. 
fometimes there grow a coupl ; 
ple of fmaller leay: 
on the footftalk below their bafes. pel 
The flowers are fmall, and of a deep putp 
Fi 1 > _ 2 deep purple,- 
is ied yellow buttons to their four. threads 
The feed-veffel is large and rou ded 
feeds are fmall and brown. isteat ime 
j a 1s common by ditch fides and. flowers id 
uly. 
G: Bauhine calls it Scropbulorig aquatica inajor. 
J. Bauhine, Scrophularia maxima radice fibrofa, 
The common writers call it Betonica aquatica, 
Tt is faid to poffefs the fame Virtues with the 
former, but in a lefs degree. 
“3. Small-leaved Figwort. 
Scrophularia foliis minoribus, 
The root is long, thick, ‘and full of little tubes 
rous lumps: jit runs obliquely under the furface 
. Fe the cammin Fo. 4 . 
like that of the comtnon figwort, and is of a whitifh 
colour, witli a tinge of rédith, 
The ftalk is firm, {quare, 6f 2 yellowith green 
and two foot high. Rhea. 
The leaves ftand in pairs: they are broad and 
fhort, lightly hairy, ‘and indented fharply at the ., 
edges : they are thick, firm, and of a pale green, 
The Higa: ftand at the tops of the ftalks, and 
are large, and of a deep dufky colour, 
Thee py : : 
The feed-veffel is large and round ; and the 
feeds are {mall, very numerous, and brown, 
It is found on our weftern coafts ; and flowerg 
in Auguft. 
Ray calls it Scrophularia Scoredonie folio, from 
its leaves having fome refemblance of thofe of 
wood fage, 
4. Green-flowered Figwort, 
Scrophularia floribus virefcentibus. 
The root is large, thick, long, and full of tu- 
berous knobs: it runs obliquely urider the fur- 
face, and is of a whitifh colour, 
The, ftalk is fingle, firm, upright, fquare, of 
a pale green colour, and two foot and a half 
high. 
The leaves are large, and ftand in pairs: they 
have long footftalks, and are broadeft at the bafe 
fharp at the point, and indented at the edges. : 
The flowers are fmall, and of 4 greenifh co- 
lour, with four yellow buttons on the threads in 
the centre. 
The feed-veffels are large and roundith, 
It is found in Oxfordthire and the adjaceng 
counties ; and flowers in June. 
Ray calls it Scrophularia major foliis caulibus, 
et floribus viridibus. 
FOR ET G Ni S PPC, foped: 
The firft leaves are large and hairy; eight or 
ten of them rife from the root, and they are 
fupported on long, hairy footftalks: they are 
broad and fhort, of a heart fafhioned fhape, deep- 
ly ferrated,:and of a dufky green. 
The ftalk is fquare, firm, erect, and two feet 
high; and is of a brownith green, and hairy. 
The 
