ey The BRITISH HERBAL, 
ftanding fome upright, and others fpreading out 
obliquely. 
Among thefe rife ftalks, which, when they have 
grown to two or three inches, droop at the ends, 
and touching the mud, take root again, fending up 
there new tufts of leaves like the firft. By this 
means the plant fpreads itfelf every way, and ina 
little time covers a great {pace of the bottom, 
The leaves and ftalks are of a pale green colour, 
and foft fubftance: the leaves are rounded at the 
back, and flat at the front-fide, and are ftuffed 
with a tender pithy matter, as rufhes are, 
The ftalks which fupport the flowers rife to four 
inches in height; and are weak, flender, and 
ftuffed with a pith like the leaves. 
The flowers are very fmall, and of a greenifh 
white. 
The feed-veffels are oval, and full of fmal] 
brown feeds. 
It grows at the bottoms of rivers in the north 
of England, and flowers in July. 
Ray calls it Sudularia repens folio minus rigido. 
The virtues of thefe plants are altogether un- 
known. 
See ABe Dee eee esse i ee om ee Dea Boi i oe oo ao sa ct oo a os ds os sa 
Sa BR 
Be Soo ahh 
Thofe of which there is no fpecies native of this country. 
G's Ete iN 
Ue. Sey I. 
Ay led nS. SAU. MM. 
HE flower is compofed of four petals fpreading crofs-ways: they are fmall, and open wide. 
and they have very fhort and flender bottoms. The cup is oblong, and is formed of four little 
leaves: thele are of an oblong oval fhape, and obtufe at the ends: they converge at the points, and 
fall with the fower. The feed-veffel is roundifh, and has a flender point of confiderable length rifing 
from its end: the feeds are oval and compreffed. It is fingular in this plant, that the two fhorter 
threads in the flower are notched on the infide toward the bafe, or have in that part a little jage ftand- 
ing inward. 
Linnezus places this among the te/radynamia filiculofa, the flower having four longer and two 
fhorter threads, and the feed-veffel being a’regular filicule. The fpecies of it have been. treated of by 
fome authors in an irregular and indeterminate manner, and many of them called by other names, 
x. The Alyffum of the Antients.: F 
Alyffum antiquorum. 
The root is flender, long, and divided into 
fibres at the bottom. 
The firft leaves grow in an irregular manner, 
fome upright, fome leaning, and fome lying al- 
together on the ground: they are long, narrow, 
and of a whitifh green: they have no footftalks, 
they are hairy, and they are irregularly finuated 
at the edges, and obtufe at the ends. 
The ftalk’ is round, upright, not much 
branched, and a foot and half high, 
The leaves ftand irregularly on this, and re- 
femble thofe from the root: they are oblong, 
narrow, hairy, and without’ footftalks : they are 
in the fame manner as the others, finuated at’ the 
edges ; but they are fharper at the point. 
The flowers grow at. the tops of the branches 
feveral together, and are {mall and inconfiderable. 
The feed-vefitls are very large and ‘confpi- 
enous: they are of an oval figure, flatted, and 
terminated by a point, and they much refemble 
the pods of honefty, but that they are of a firmer 
fubflance, and are hairy. 
The feeds are large and brown. 
It is frequent about the vineyards of Italy, and 
flowers in Auouft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Lewcoium aly[foides clypeatum 
majus. Dodoneus, Alyffon Diofcoridis. 
The antients celebrate this plant extremely for 
virtues which would be of the’greateft import- 
ance, if well eftablifhed. They fay it will cure 
the madnefs occafioned by the bite of a mad dog. 
| The freth leaves are to be bruifed, and given for 
this purpofé. They affirm, the fame manner of 
giving them mixed with the food, will cure 
dogs that are going mad, or prevent their going 
| fo after the bite. This is afferted by authors in 
moft things worthy credit ; and it is worth while 
to try whether it be true ¥-fince, if it prove fo, it 
will furnifh us a remedy for the moft terrible dift 
order to which human nature is fubjeé, ‘and for. 
which (with due refpe& to the eréat name of Dr. 
Mead be it fpoken) no cure is yet known, 
Its leffer virtues are not inconfiderable, > Dio: 
{corides fays it cures the hiccough immediately, 
and others recommend: it againft convulfions in 
children. The plant grows readily from feed 
with us, and it well deferves a trial. 
ae Yellow Alyfum with fwoln capfules. 
Alum Hlore flavo Jiticulis inflatis. 
The root is long and thick, and fpreads at 
the bottom into many fibres. ‘ 
The firft leaves rife, without footttalks, and 
ftand in a little tuft: they are oblong, narrow, 
and of a dufky green, not atyall indented at: the 
edges, but fharp-pointed. ; 
The ftalk is round; upright, and branched, and 
is a foot and a half high, 
7 ; The 
ee ey 
