634. 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



four feet in height. The leaves are large, ovate, 

 serrated, crowded with a net- work of veins, with 

 a strong ileshy mid-rib. The flower is very- 

 large and yellow. This plant is described as 

 medicinal by Dioscorides and Pliny. The root 

 is the part used; when dried and kept for some 

 time it has a pleasant odour, like that of orris 

 root. Its taste is aromatic, bitter, and pungent. 

 It yields these qualities to spirits more readily 

 than to water. Its virtues were much extolled 

 by the older physicians ; but it has not been 

 found so deserving of praise in modem practice. 

 Indeed, it is now fallen entirely into disuse. Its 

 action, however, is similar to that of the other 

 stimulating and aromatic bitters, and it is used 

 in similar complaints ; as in cases of weak 

 digestion, hysterical and nervous complaints. 

 One dram of the root in infusion, and from two 

 to four drams in decoction, is said to be the dose 

 usually given. 



Florentine Orris Root (iris florentina); 

 triundria, monogt/nia. This iris is a native of 

 Italy, and flowers in June. It was cultivated in 

 England, by Gerard, in 1590 ; and is now gene- 

 rally reared by floiasts as an ornament in the gar- 

 den. The roots of those plants produced in this 

 country, have not, however, the odour, or other 

 qualities of those of warmer climates. The orris 

 root of our shops is imported from Leghorn. 

 The root in its recent state is extremely acrid ; 

 and when chewed excites a pungent heat in the 

 mouth, which continues several hours. On 

 drying this acrimony is almost wholly lost, the 

 taste is slightly bitter, and the smeU agreeable, 

 resembling that of violets. On distillation it 

 does not yield an essential oil; but the flavour is 

 communicated to spirituous tinctures. The 

 fresh root is a powerful purgative and emetic, 

 and a dram of the juice for a, dose has been 

 employed in the cure of dropsies. The dry root 

 is only used as an agreeable perfume, and is the 

 ingredient which gives the peculiar flavour to 

 artificial brandies made in this country. 



Fenugreek. Natural family, papilionacece; 

 Madelphia, decandria, of Linnfeus. This is an 



Fenugreek. 



annual plant, with an erect hairy stem about two 

 feet high; the leaves are oblong, obtuse, and 



slightly serrated, and of a disagreeable smell. 

 The flowers are whiteandappear in pairs; they are 

 succeeded by a long compressed pointed pod con- 

 taining numerous seeds of a round yellow colour. 

 These seeds have a strong disagi-eeable smell, and 

 an unctuous farinaceous taste, accompanied with 

 a slight bitterness. These seeds are not now 

 given as medicine internally, and are only rarely 

 used as fomentations and cataplasms in indolent 

 swellings, rheumatism, and ulcers, and some- 

 times in glysters. Formerly they were held 

 in more esteem by medical men than they are 

 now. 



Valerian (Valeriana officinalis). Natural 

 family valerianece; triandria, monogynia of Lin- 



naeus. This is a common plant about hedges 

 and woods in Britain. The root is perennial, 

 consisting of a number of simple fibres which 

 unite at their origin; the stalk is upright, 

 smooth, channelled, round, branched, and rises 

 from three to four feet in height. The leaves 

 in the stem are placed in pairs upon short broad 

 sheaths, they are composed of several lance- 

 shaped, partially dentated pinnae with an odd 

 one at the end, which is the largest. The radical 

 leaves are much larger. The flowers are small, 

 of a white or purplish colour, and terminate the 

 stem in large branches. The flowers appear in 

 June, 



The narrow-leaved variety of this species, 

 which does not exceed two feet in height, and 

 grows on dry heaths, and elevated pastures, is 

 in more repute than the other. Its roots mani- 

 fest stronger sensible qualities, and consequently 

 possess more active medicinal powers. Their 

 odour is strong and peculiarly heavy, with a 

 mixture of both aromatic and fetid qualities. 

 The taste is wai-m, bitter, unpleasant, and slightly 

 acrid. 



Valerian is supposed to be the plm (expressive 

 of its abominable smell) of Dioscorides and 

 Galen, by whom it is extolled as an aromatic 

 and diuretic. It was afterwards found to be 

 useful in certain kinds of epilepsy arising from 

 nervous irregularity; and, indeed, is now 

 employed in many nervous affections arising 

 from debility and irregular nervous action, or 

 hysterical affections and convulsions. 



