The BRITISH HERBAL. 
It is common in woods, and in damp, fliady 
places. 
It flowers in Ji-dy. 
T!ie whole plant has a ftrong and difagrecable 
finell, efpi^cially when in flower. 
C, Bauhine calis it Scrofhularia nodofa fcetida^ 
from the tuberous knots about its root, and its 
flrong rmeli. Others, Scrophidaria vulgaris. 
It is famous as a remedy for the evil ; the 
method is to take a fl:rong decodion of the roots 
daily for a great length of time. Thefe long and 
tedious cures are lefs certainly to be judged of 
than chofe performed more fpecdily ; but there 
fcems great authority to believe that this is a 
powerful and excellent medicine. 
In fome places there is a cufliom of brewing 
drink with fome of this herb among it i and this 
root is celebrated for its virtues againft the 
fcurvy. When freOi, it gives the beer a mofl 
difagrecable tafte j but this is not much perceived 
when ufed dry. 
It is famous alfo, botli inwardly and outward- 
ly, againfl the piles. 
The fingular form of the tuberous parts about 
the root led people to think of it as a remedy in 
this diforder, becaufe they were fuppofed to re- 
femble ihofe fwellings ; and, experience has 
fhewn, the plant has the virtues they imagined. 
A fl:rong decoction of the root is good againfl: 
all foulneflts of the flcin, the itcli not excepted: 
it fiiould be taken inwardly, and the parts wafhcd 
■with fome of it alfo warm. 
An ointment is made in fome places of the 
leaves, boiled in lard, and ufed for the fame 
purpofes ; but the decoftion, or a putlice, made 
from the frelh root, boiled foft with bread and 
milk, will anfwcr the purpofe better. 
2. Water figwort, called Water betony. 
Scrophiilaria aquatica. 
The root is compofed of a great number of 
fibres. 
The firfl: leaves are large, broad, oblong, and 
bluntly indented : they rife in a little tuft, and 
each has its feparate long footftalk : they have 
fome refemblance of the leaves of wood betony; 
they are vaftiy larger, but from this the plant 
has been commonly called ivaler betony. 
' The flalk is thick, firm, upright, fquare, hol- 
low, and three foot high : it is alfo edged with a 
kind of wings, running from the footflialks of 
the leaves, and is ufually of a brown colour. 
The leaves Itand in pairs, and they have long 
footftalks. 
They refemble thofe from the root, and are 
of a pale green colour : they are oblong, bluntly 
indented, and terminate in a rounded end; and 
fometimes there g-'ow a couple of fmaller leaves 
on the footfl;alk below their bafes. 
The flowers are fmall, and of a deep purple, 
and h:ive yellow buttons to their four threads' 
within. 
The feed-vefl'el is large and rounded ; and the 
feeds are fmall and brown. 
It is common by ditch fides; and flowers in 
C. Bauhine calls it Scrophnlaria aquatica 7»ajor. 
J. Bauhme, Scrophnlaria maxima radice fihrofa. 
The common writers call it Betonica aquatica. 
It is faid to pofll'fs the fame virtues with the 
former, but in a lefs degree. 
3. Small-leaved Figwort. 
Scrophnlaria foliis minorihis. 
The root is long, thick, and full of little tube- 
rous lumps : it runs obliquely under the furface 
like that of the common figwort, and is of a whitirtl 
colour- with a tinge of redifli. 
The ftalk is firm, fquare, of a yellowifli --rreen 
and two foot high. o » 
The leaves Hand in pairs : they are broad and 
Ihort, lightly hairy, and indented fharply at the 
edges : they are thick, firm, and of a pale green 
The flowers fliand at the tops of the fialk?, and 
are large, and of a deep duflcy colour. 
The fced-velTel is large and round ; and the 
feeds are fmall, very numerous, and brown. 
It is found on our weftern coafts ; and flowers 
in Auguft. 
Ray calls it Scrophnlaria fcorodoni^ folio, from 
Its leaves having feme refemblance of thofe of 
wood fage. 
4. Green-flowered Figwort. 
Scrophnlaria floribus virefcenlibus. 
The root is large, thick, long, and full of tu- 
berous knobs : it runs obliquely under the fur- 
face, and is of a whitifh colour. 
The ftalk is fingle, firm, upright, fquare, of' 
a pale green colour, and two foot and a half 
high. 
The leaves are large, and ftand in pairs : they 
have long footftalks, and are broadefl: at the bafe, 
fliarp at the point, and indented at the edges. 
The flowers are fmall, and of 3 greenTfli ' co- 
lour, with four yellow buttons on the threads in 
the centre. 
The feed-vefl'cls are large and roundifli. 
It is found in Oxfordlhire and the adjacent 
counties ; and flowers in June. 
■ Ray calls it Scrophularta major foliis caidibus, 
et floribus viridibus. 
DIVISION U. FOREIGN SPECIES, 
I. Yellow-flowered Figwort. 
Scropbularia fiore luteo. 
The root is long and thick : it runs obliquely 
under the furface, and has numerous large fibres ; 
but none of thofe flefliy tubercles that grow to 
the common kind. 
The fira leaves are large and hairy; eight or 
ten of them rife from the root, and they are 
fupportcd on long, hairy footlfalks: they are 
broad and Ihort, of a heart faihioned Ihape, deep- 
ly ferrated, and of a dulky green. 
The ftalk is fquare, firm, ered, and two feet 
high i and is of a brownifu green, and hairy. 
The 
