Chap. 54.] 
OAEOS OR HYPEEICON. 
185 
resembles purslain in appearance, but has a darker root, that 
is never used : it grows upon the sands of the sea-shore, and 
has a bitter taste. Taken in wine with root of asparagus, it 
is remarkably useful for diseases of the bladder. 
CHAP. 53. — HYPERICOK, CHAM^PITYS, OR CORISON : NrN"E 
REMEDIES. 
Hypericon,^^ otherwise known as the ''chamsepitys"*® or 
corison,"^^ is possessed of similar properties. It is a plant^^ 
with a stem like that^^ of a garden vegetable, thin, red, and a 
cubit in length. The leaf is similar to that of rue, and has 
an acrid smell : the seed is enclosed in a swarthy pod, and 
ripens at the same time as barley. This seed is of an astringent 
nature, arrests diarrhoea, and acts as a diuretic : it is taken 
also for diseases of the bladder, in wine. 
CHAP. 54. — CAROS OR HYPERICON I TEN REMEDIES. 
There is another hypericon also, known as caros'^^^ by 
some. The leaves of it resemble those of the tamarix,^^ 
beneath^^ which it grows, but are more unctuous^^ and not so 
red. It is an odoriferous plant, somewhat more than a palm^ 
in height, of a sweet flavour, and slightly pungent. The seed 
is of a warming nature, and is consequently productive of eruc- 
tations; it is not, however, injurious to the stomach. This 
plant is particularly useful for strangury, provided the bladder 
Perhaps so called from the impressions on the leaves, virkp and Ukcjv, 
or else from its resemblance to heath, vrrkf) and kpstKYj. See, however 
Note 55 below. " Ground pine." 
Sillig reads this '^corissum." Former editions have ** corion.*' 
51 Identified by Fee with the Hypericum perforatum of Linnaeus, the 
Perforated St. John's wort. Littre gives the Hypericum crispum of Linnaeus. 
52 "Oleraceo.*' J\nother reading is ^' surculaceo,*' *' tough and ligneous 
and is, perhaps, preferable. 
^•^ " Coris " is the old and more common reading, Fee identifies it with 
the Hypericum coris of Linnaeus, and Brotero with the H. saxatile of 
Tournefort. Desfontaines gives as its synonym the Coris Monspelliensis. 
See B. xxiv. c. 41. 
55 It is not improbable, supposing the tamarix " to be one of the 
Ericse, that to this circumstance it may owe its name. Indeed Dioscorides 
has kpiiKrjy in the corresponding passage. 
56 " Pinguioribus." 
57 Dioscorides gives the stem larger dimensions. 
