( ) 
VII. Some Attempts made to prove that Herbs 
of the fame Make or Glafs for the general- 
liry, ha^e the Itke Vertne and Te^de^cy 
to worl^the fame EffeSisJn a Difcourfe made 
before the Royal Society ^^j/ Mr, James Petiver- 
Apothecary ^and Fellow of the faid Society. 
HAviog by fome been asked what Method 
might be beft propofed towards the difcovering of 
the Fertues of Plants^ amongft others I thought this 
might not prove an altogether unfuccefiful conjediure, 
Fiz. That Plants of the fame Figure or Likeners,have 
for the generallity much the fame Fertms and Vfe : 
Efpecially if we confider, that the Organs or StruSlure 
of all Plants of the . fame Family or Clafs, muft have 
much the fame Feffds and DuHhs's to confiimmate that 
Regular formation, and confequently the Juices Circa- 
- lated and ftrained thro' them cannot be very HeterogC" 
neous ; and that as for the mofl part , the Scm and Tajt 
have great affinity, fo of courfe their Fertue likewife 
cannot be very diffonant, 
I. As for Inftance, the Herl^ Vmhllifers or Trlle of 
Vmldliferous Herbs, Thefethe Learned Mr. Ray hath 
accurately Treated of in the ^th. Book of his excel- 
lent Hiftory of Plants^ pag. 406. and his Synopfis p. 63. 
and in his zd. Edition, pag. loi. as hath Mr. Dale alfo 
in his Pharmacologia^ pag. xox. 
It's the property of thefe Herhs to have the Pofition 
• of their Flowr-hranches to proceed from one Bafis or 
Center^ which expand themftlves into an Umbel, whofe 
I Flowers confift of Five irregular or rather unequal, (that 
is, differing in fliape and bignds) pentapetaloje Leaves^ 
U u from 
