The BRITISH HERBAL, 
189 
Linnzus places this among the decandria digynia 
ftyles from the rudiment of the fruit two. 
This author joins the faxifrage and geum under the fame name; 
We have obferved that the cup in the /axifrage is formed of a fing 
ments; but that of the geum is formed of five feparate leaves: 
refults an obvious diftinétion in the placing and appearance of the feed veftel ; 
grows to the entire part of the cup; whereas in the gewm, there being no fuch 
it is feparate. 
3 the threads being ten in each flower, and the 
but they are diftin® genera. 
gle piece, divided into five feg- 
and from this difference of ftru@ure, 
for in the faxifrage it 
entire part of the cup, 
This is an effential and obvious charaéter, and it is the more needful to be preferved, becaufe both 
the faxifrage and the geum have very numerous fpecies, 
has done, by confounding the two genera, muft therefore encreafe the difficulty of the fei 
The blending thefe together, as Linnzus 
ence, 
It is fingular that Mr. Ray, lefs accurate than Linnaus in his examinations of the More minute 
parts of plants, though more fo in his choice of claflical diftin@tions, fthould have ob 
while the other either overlooked it, or did not pay it that regard which was due to its utili 
Dolev 1S 1.0 Neel: 
1. Common white Saxifrage. 
Saxifraga alba vulgaris. 
The root is compofed of a great many fmall, 
oval, or roundifh tubercles, of a flefhy fubftance 
and redifh colour; and of a multitude of long 
and flender fibres, iffuing from their furface, and 
from a fmall head, to which they alfo grow. 
The leaves rife in little clufters, and are of a 
very fingular and pretty form: they are rounded, 
but a little pare of the circular figure is wanting 
where the ftalk is inferted; and they are of a 
fiefhy fubftance, a pale green colour, and indent- 
ed at the edges: their footftalks are long and 
flender, and they ftand tolerably erect. 
The ftalk rifes in the midft of this clufter, and 
is round, flefhy, upright, and about a foot high. 
The leaves are placed alternately on it; and 
they have long footftalks, and refemble thofe 
from the root. : ! 
The flowers are large, beautiful, and of a fhow 
white; and they are fometimes found naturally 
double: they ftand on fhort footftalks at the tops 
of the ftalks, and on little thoots rifing from the 
bofoms of the upper leaves. 
The feed-veffel is oval, and has a double beak 
at the top: the feeds are numerous and fmall. 
It is common in our paftures, and flowers in 
May. About Wandfor and toward Peckham 
there is a great deal of it; and, when in flower, 
it gives thofe fields a very beautiful afpedt. 
C, Bauhine calls it Saxifraga rotundifolia alba. 
J. Bauhine, Saxifraga alba radice granulofa; and 
others, plainly Saxifraga alba, 
This plant is an excéllent diuretick. An in- 
fufion of the whole herb, roots, leaves, and 
ftalks, works powerfully, yet fafely, by urine, 
and brings away gravel. 
It has been fuppofed, by fome, capable to dif- 
folve the ftone in the bladder; but this is an idle 
thought. ; : 
The dried root poffeffes the fame qualities, but 
in a lefs degree. This is what the druggifts ufed 
to fell under the name of faxifrage feed; the 
granules, {cparated and dried, which was the 
ufual way, having fomething of the appearance 
of a feed. The plant lofes a great deal of its 
virtue in drying ; and it is great pity that it is 
N° 19. 
BRITISH 
erved this, 
ty. 
SPECIES, 
not to be had during a longer part of the year 
frefh ; for it is worthy to be much more ufed 
than it is. 
2. Rue Whitlow grafs, 
_ Saxifraga foliis digitatis, 
The root is compofed of a few {mall threads, 
The firft leaves rife in a little tuft, 
thick, flefhy, 
their colour 
and aré 
and divided in a fingered manner : 
is whitith, or not unfrequently 
redifh ; and they have a few feattered hairs upon 
them. 
The ftalk rifes in the midft of thefe, and ig 
round, thick, flefhy, of a redith colour, -and 
about three inches high. 
The leaves ftand alternately on it, and refemble 
thofe from the root, but they are fmaller, 
The flowers ftand at the tops of the ftalks and 
branches, and are moderately large, and of a 
beautiful fhow white. 
The feed-veffel is oval, and forked at the top: 
the feeds are numerous, and very minute, ; 
It is common on old walls and the tops of 
houfes; and flowers early in fpring, ; 
C. Bauhine calls it Sedum tridacilytes tesortuin; 
Others, Saxifraga annua verna bumilior, 
Our common Englith name of rye whitlow 
Srajs is a very indeterminate one: we thould do 
much better to call it dow Spring Saxifrage with 
Jingered leaves. 
3+ Trifid-leaved Saxifrage, 
Saxifraga pumila trifido folio. 
The root is fmall, oblong, and furnithed with 
a few fibres. 
The leaves rife in a thick tuft 
are very fine, and thick fet, they havea mofly 
appearance; whence fome have named the plant 
moffy fengréen, 
The leaves, when examined feparately, are ob- 
long, of a pleafant green, and divided into three 
parts at the top. , 
The ftalks are numerous, fmall, upright, and 
three or four inches high. 
The leaves on them are 
are few and fmall. 
The flowers ftand at the tops of the ftalks, 
are of a beautiful fnow white. 
Cag 
3 and, as they 
placed irregularly, and 
and 
The 
