6 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
DIVISION II. Ft 
I. Many-leaved Penupbylloidcs. 
Pentaphylloides fufinum ptentilU fucis. 
- The root is long and blackiHi. It is divided 
into many lieads, and fpreads under tlie furface. 
Tlie leaves are very numerous. They ftand on 
footftalks two inches long, and are compofed of 
three or more pairs of fmaller leaves, with an odd 
one at the end. Thefe are oblong, narrow, 
Diarply ferrated, and of a pale green. 
The [talks are a foot and a half long, but 
weak and yellow. They are divided into many 
branches toward the top, and have the fame kind 
of leaves with thofe from the root, but fmaller 
and fewer on a footftalk. 
The flowers are moderately large, and yellow. 
They confifl each of five leaves, and have a tuft 
of threads in the middle;. 
When thefe are fallen the feed fucceeds in a 
little naked clutter. 
It is a native of Germany, and flowers in 
■ J. Bauhine calls it Pentaphyllaiies fupinum. 
C. Bauhine, S>uiiiquefolio fragifero affinis, from 
the fmall heads ot feed fomewhat rcfembling an 
unripe flrawberry ; but this is lefs than in many 
others, where it is not obferved. 
2. Silver -leaved flrawbery Cinquefoil. 
PeiUaphyttoides argentiim fragiflrum. 
The root is long, thick, blackidi, and woody, 
and is well furniflied with fibres. 
The leaves arc numerous. Their foot- 
(lalks are an inch and a half long; and they are 
compofed each of nine parts, or divided into 
nine fcgments, fo deep that they appear fcparate. 
REIGN SPECIES. 
Thefe are placed in four pairs, with an odd one 
at the end ; and are narrow, longilli, and fer- 
rated very fliarply. They are of a pale green, 
and hairy. In the ihape and difpofition of the di- 
vifions they much refemble the leaves of the com- 
mon filverweed. 
The ftalks are numerous, very fmall, and (len- 
der. They do not exceed four inches in length. 
They trail on the ground, and have the fame 
kind of leaves irregularly placed on them as thofe 
at the root. Toward the top they divide into 
little branches, and others rife from the bottoms 
of the leaves. 
The flowers are fmall, but of a beautiful gold 
yellow. They confifl: each of five leaves, and 
have a tuft of threads in the middle. 
The feeds ripen in a fmall head, and are co- 
vered in part by five of the fegments of the cup. 
This is frequent in Switzerland, and flowers 
in July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Sainquefolio fimilis enmaphyl- 
los ; and Parkinfon Emieapbyllon ; from its having 
nine leaves on a footflalk. 
All thefe fpccies of pentaphylloiies, and thofe of 
ciiiquefoil, agree in virtues as they do in their 
charafters with the common cinquefoil Q^^r fields. 
This their tafie manifells. They have not been 
feverally tried ; but there is not one whofe root 
does not poffefs a flrong allringency. Perhaps 
in this, as in many other cafes, we do wrong 
in confining our trials to fomeone fpecies. Others 
may have greater virtues in the fame way than 
that commonly ufed. We fee this in mint ; only 
one fpecies of which was regarded in medicine of 
a long ume, but another has fincc been introdu- 
ced ; and many others deferve to be fo. 
G E N U S IV. 
SILVER WEED. 
ARGEN'TINA. 
(T-ilIE leaves of fikcrwttd are pinnated, and the ftalks creep and take root at the joints. The 
■•- flowers and feed, agree with thofe of cinquefoil. This is one of the icojaniria pjyaniria of Lin- 
nKus ; that author ranking this plant, cinquefoil, and pentaphylloides, together under the name of 
potentilla. 
Of this genus there is but one known fpecies, and that is a common wild plant. 
Common Silverweed. 
Argentina "julgaris. 
The root confiffs of a fmall head, and a vaft 
multitude of fibres. It is of a deep brown, and 
has an auftcre tafle. 
The leaves rife in great numbers. They fl:and 
on fhort pedicles, and are very beautifully pin- 
nated, each confifting of feven or eight pairs of 
ifnall leaves on a ftalk, and an odd one at tlie 
end. Thefe are oblong, narrow, deeply ferrated 
at the edges, and obtufe at the ends. 
The ftalks refemble thofe of cinquefoil. They 
arc long, weak, red, and lie upon the ground, 
taking root at the joints. From thefe places rife 
alfo new clufters of leaves. 
The flowers ftand on long naked footftalks ri- 
fing from the bofoms of the leaves ; and they are 
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■very large and beautiful. They are compofed 
each of five petals, of a roundifh figure, nut 
dented at the tops ; and are of a moft beautiful 
fliining yellow : in the middle of each there is a 
tuft of threads, with yellow buttons ; but fmaller 
than in cinquefoil, and of a paler yellow. 
The feeds are fmall : they grow in a roundilh 
head, and are defended by five of the ten feg- 
ments of the cup which clofe over them. Thefe 
are hairy, and pointed. Nature in this, as in 
other plants that run fo quick at the ftalk, takes 
lefs care in ripening the feed. 
It is frequent in barren places, and flowers in 
June. 
The root pofliflbs the greatcft virtue, md it de- 
ferves to be much more known in medicine than 
it is. 
It 
