The BRITISH HERBAL. 
39 
naked, and whitilh toward the bottom ; but on 
the upper part are altogether covered by thick, 
cluftered leaves; fo that they have a kind ol 
fcaly appearance. 
Thefe leaves are fliort, thick, fiefiiy, broad at the 
bottom, fharp at the point, and of a bi ight green. 
At the tops of the branches ftand numerous 
large and beautiful yellow flowers, each compofed 
of five pointed petals. 
■ The feeds are contained in fmall capfules, feve- 
ral of which follow every flower. 
It is very common on walls ; and in barren 
chalky foils will fometimes grow upon theground. 
I have obferved on the chalk hills near Grave 
fend in great abundance. It flowers in June. 
C. Bauhme calls it Sempervi-vum minus vermicu- 
latum acre. J. Bauhine, Sedum -parvum acre fiore 
luteo. 
It is an excellent antifcorbutick, and is befl 
given in form of an infufion. 
A decodlion of it is good in fore mouths arif- 
ing from fcorbutick habits. The frefh leaves 
bruifed and applied to the fkin raife blifters, and 
are excellent in paralytick contraftions or weak- 
nefs of tlie limbs. 
7. Little white Stonecrop. 
Sedum parvum mile fiore alHdo, 
The root is long, flender, and fibrous. 
The [talks that firrt rife have clufters of little 
leaves on them, and they are half upright half 
drooping. 
Among thefe rife others more robuft, ereft, 
and intended to b^ar the flowers. 
Thefe are two or three inches high, round, 
thick, upright, and of a pale green, fometimes 
of a redifli colour. 
The leaves are very fmall : they ftand irregu- 
larly, but at diflances, not cluftered, but having 
fpaces between them. They are fliort, broadifli 
at the bottom, and pointed at the ends. 
Toward the top the Ilalk commonly divides 
into two or three branches, and on the fummit of 
thefe ftand the flowers. 
They are large, white, with a mixture of red- 
ifli, and very beautiful. Each conflflis of five 
narrow, ftiarp pointed petals and has fomC 
threads and rudiments of capfules in the centre. 
The flower being fallen thefe capfules ripen, 
and each contains many fmall feeds. 
It is frequent in the north of England on old 
walls and houfes, and on the ground in barren 
places. It flowers in April. 
Pitiver calls it lUccebra atha mitts. Merretj 
Sedum minimum fiore mixta ex alho & rubra. 
8. Purple Marfli Stonecrop. 
Sedum purpureum pratcnfe. 
This is a fingular and extreamly pretty plant. 
The root is compofed of numerous fibres, fliort 
and very flender, rifing from a fma i head. 
The firft flioots from this are fliort, flender, 
and thick fet with narrow leaves, which ftand in 
a kind of cUifters or buttons at their tops. 
Among thefe rifes ufually a fingle ftalk to fuf- 
tain the flowers. This is fcven or eight inches 
high, tender, juicy, round, aiid ufually redifli. 
Th« leaves are numerous, fmall, thick, and 
flefliy : they are a little hairy, and have much the 
refemblance of thofe of the common fionecrap^ but 
that they are flatter. 
Toward the top the ftalk divides irregularly 
into four or five branches, on the fummits of 
which, and of their fubdivifions, ftand the flowers. 
Thefe are very beautiful, of a pale purple co- 
lour, moderately large, and compofed of five ftiarp 
pointed petals, with a few threads and the rudi- 
ments ot fome capfules in the centre. 
When the flower is fallen thefe ripen. They 
are five in number, and they become pale. The 
feed is very Imall. 
It is frequent in the northern parts of England, 
where it grows on the wet parts of hills. It 
flowers in April and May. 
C. Bauhine calls it Sedum pratenfe fuhhirfutum 
furpiireum. J. Bauhine, Sedum purpureum pra- 
tenfe. 
DIVISION 11. FOREIGN SPECIES. 
I . Branched Stonecrop. 
Sedum ramofum. 
The root is long, flender, and has many fibres. 
Thefirft leaves are numerous, fliort, fiefliy, and 
not unlike thole of purflane : they are of a pale 
green, and as they fade grow yellowifli. 
The fi:alks arc numerous, round, weak, and 
eight or ten inches long. They lie in part upon 
the ground, and in part ftand up. They are 
thick fee with leaves, and divided into numerous 
branches. 
The leaves ftand irregularly, and are oblong, 
flefliy, of a pale green, blunt at the points, and 
withouv footftalks. 
The flowers are very numerous, fmall, and 
white. They ftand at the tops of the llalks, and 
of ti r: numerous branches. Each confifts of five, 
little, po' rM DPrals, and has in its centre ten 
threads furrounding the rudiments of five capfules. 
2 
"When the flowers are fallen thefe ripen, and 
contain fmall feeds. 
It is frequent in the fouth of France, and 
flowers in May. 
Morifon calls it Sedum annuum album oblcngo 
porliilac^ minoris folio. C. Bauhine, and others, 
after Mithiolus, Cep^a. 
2. Large- flowered Stonecrop. 
Sedum pumilum florihu majorihus fiavis. 
This is a fmall but very pretty plant. 
The r.)0t is flender, white, and has feveral fibres. 
The firft flioots from this fpread about the fur- 
face, and often rake frefli root as they lie; fo that 
the plant is generally feen in very large tufts : 
thefe are thick fet with leaves, efpecially toward 
their extremities ; and thefe are fmall, iieftiy, ob- 
long, and fliarp pointed. 
The ftalks that bear the flowers rife among 
thefe. They are round, fmall, fleftiy, and ufually 
redifti': 
