The BRITISH H E R B A L. 
223 
Th'^fc are of a paler colour than the body of 
tlic llalk ; and they ai'e fnorter toward the lower 
part of the plant, and are there placed much 
thicker, and clofer together ; and are longer, and 
more remote toward the top. 
Tills fpecies naturally pioduces only a [ingle 
fio-.ver : it is placed, not at the extremity of 
the ftalk, br.t near it ; and as the whole top 
bends, this flower hangs downward : it is very 
Ln ge, and of a beautiful ftraw colour : it is 
rompol'ed of ten petals in two feries, as in the 
otheis of this genus; but the inner five are fmall, 
and are lijiTietirnes wanting : this has occafioned 
lome who have feen it to call the flower ^CH.'ii- 
peldlbtls j but its proper number of petals is teUj 
as in the reft of this genus. 
The feed veflel is large and ftriated : the fcedj 
are numerous and fmall. 
It is a native of North America, and flowers 
in April. 
Gronovius calls it Afonotropa jlore nutante. 
We have no knowledge of the virtues of thefa 
plants, nor do they feem to polTefs any worthy 
enquiry. 
GENUS 
WATER-LILLY. 
N r M P H A. 
TH£ Bower is Cnmpofed of numerous petals, regularly difpofed, and fixed to the fide of the 
<Termen : the feed-vefrel is hirge and oval, vviUi a narrow neck ^ it is juicy, and contains a pulpy 
matter, with numerous large feeds : the cup is large and coloured ; it is compofed of five, or hi fome 
fpecies, only of four leaves and it remains with the fruit after the fiowirr is fallen. 
Linnsus places this among the plyandr'm monogynia ; the threads in the flower being numerouSiJ 
and lixcd to the receptacle, and the ftyle from the rudiment of the fruit fingle. 
DIVISION I. BRITISH SPECIES. 
I. White Water-lilly. 
JVyirpbfta alba. 
The root is very long, large, and thick : it is 
brown on the outfide, and white within ; and 
has nuT"jeraus large and long fibres. 
The leaves are kipporred on fingle footftalks : 
thefe ave round, thick, fpungy,: and of a great 
length i rifing from the furface of the mud 
ufu:illy, to the top of the water, whereon the 
leaves rloat. 
Thefe arc very large, and roundifh, and of a 
beautiful green colour, and Ihining furface. 
The fiowcrs ajc fupported, like the leaves, 
each on a long footftalk. 
They are very la^e, and of a beautiful bright 
\v-hite i and of a light, but agreeable fmcll : 
the cup has four leaves. 
The feed-vc'ffcl is large, and roundilb, but 
drawn in at the neck, ind there crowned with a 
dentated rim. 
The feeds are large, roundifii, and contained 
in a great quanitty of pulp. 
It is common in our brooks and rivers, and 
flowers in Auguflr. C, Bauhine calls it ISIymphaa 
dba major. Others, only Nym^h^a alba. 
The root of this fpecies is greatly recommend- 
ed as cooling and aftringent. 
The country people give the juice of it for the 
fiuor albus, with luccefs. l"he powder of it 
dried is good againft weaknefles in the feminal 
vefiels. 
The frelh roots, fliced and infufed in red wine, 
are ufcfu! againft overflowings of the menfes. 
Outwardly the leaves are cooling and an oil 
is made, by fome, of the flowers, which is ex- 
celienc againll pain. 
There is an opinion of the roots and feeds 
having a power to prevent venereal defires j bu| 
this is idle. 
2. Yellow Water-Ully; 
Nymphisn hiUa. 
The root is very long and thick, of a fmootU 
furface, except that the outer fliin in fome places 
cracks and chops; and of a white colour: iC 
fends out numerous large fibres, and itfelf runs 
obliquely into the mud. 
The leaves are fupported each on its feparate 
footilalk : thefe are very long, light, fmooth, 
and full of a f|Uingy pith : the leaves themfelveS 
are very large, and of an oblong figure, but ap- 
proaching to round, and of a bright green colour,-^ 
The flowers are alfo fupported fingiy on very" 
long footftalks : they are large i but what ap- 
pears at firft fight to be the flower is, in this* 
as in the preceding fpecies, the cup : this is com- 
pofed of five leaves, which are very broad and 
yellow, and furround the petals : thefe are fmall, 
and they are alfo yellow ; and they are placed ia 
two feries. 
The feed-vefTel is large, and of a pear-fafliioned 
fliape ; and the feeds are round, large, and fur- 
rounded with a pithy matter. 
It is common in large waters, where, if they 
be not deep, the leaves and flowers rife above 
the furface ; though the plant will flower and 
ripen its feeds when many teet under water. 
C. Baiihine calls it ISymphcca lutea major: 
therSj fimply Nymfhaa lutea. 
There is another plant called Yellci^ tvater-lilly 
by the common writers, and diftinguifhed by 
the more accurate, under the name of Nympk- 
oides, the I'ellow -Ji^ater-liUy with fringed flowers ^ 
but this, being of a different clafs, has been de- 
fcribed before, in its place. 
^ D 1 V I- 
