3>8 
The BRITISH HERBAL. 
SERIES I. 
Natives of Britain. 
Thofe of which one or more fpecies are naturally wild in this country. 
G E N U S I. 
WHITEBRYONY. 
B R r O N I A. 
"jpHE flower is compofed of a fingle petal, hollowed like a bell, and divided into five fegmcnts, oF 
an oval form, at the rim. The cup is formed of a fingle piece, hollowed like the flower, and di- 
vided alfo into five fegments i which are narrow, and lharp-pointed. The fruit is a berry, of a fome- 
what oval form. There are diftind male and female flowers on the plant ; but they agree in thefe 
charafters. The difpofition of the internal part only varies : in the male flowers there are three fta- 
mina or threads, two of which have double buttons : and in the female there is a ftyle from the rudi- 
ment of the fruit, which is divided into three parts at the top. 
LinnjEUS places this among the f»ona:cia fyngmefia, for the fake of thefe particularities, far removing 
it from the other berry-bearing plants, as we have obferved. This is an infl:ance, that although the 
diftribution of the internal or fmall parts of flowers be very worthy notice, it is not a foundation for 
claflical diftindions. 
DIVISION I. BRITISH SPECIES. 
I. Common White Bryony. 
Brycma nlba. 
The root is vaftly large, and of a dufliy 
whitifh colour. 
The ftalks are numerous, weak, and trailing : 
they are rough to the touch, and of a pale green : 
they would naturally lie on the ground ; but, as 
the plant commonly grows in hedges, they are 
fupported, and will run to twelve feet in length, 
fending out numerous fpiral tendrils, by which 
they lay hold of every thing they come near. 
The leaves are large, and of a beautiful fliape : 
they are broad, cornered, and in fomc degree like 
thofe of the vine, but longer pointed, and of a 
greyifh green. 
The flowers are numerous, fmall, and of a 
greenilh white : they are placed on fhort foot- 
fl:alks, two, three, or more, on each ; and thefe 
rife from the bofoms of the leaves. 
The berries are red when ripe, and contain a 
few large, oval feeds, which grow to the rind. 
It is common in hedges. It flowers in July, 
and the berries ripen in Auguft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Bryonia afpera feu alba 
iaccis rubris. Others, Bryonia alba. 
It is poffeflcd of great virtues ; but is violent 
in its operations, if not well managed. 
It is excellent againfl: obftruftions of the vif- 
cera, and particularly in uterine diforders : it 
promotes the menfes, and afliflis in bringinf^ on 
delivery. It is for this purpofe belt given in 
very fmall dofes of the juice exprefied with white 
wine. 
The compound water called after its name, 
and by the vulgar Jr/fterick water, has alfo thefe 
virtues, but in a lefs degree. 
The juice, in a fomewhat larger dofe, has 
been given with fuccefs againfl: dropfics ; and a 
fyrup made of it, with honey and a little vinesar, 
is good in afthmas. " 
It kills worms in the intellines ; and in this re- 
fpeft is fuperior to moft medicines. This Bartho- 
lin long ago experienced and publifhed ; but it 
has not been enough regarded. For this purpofe 
the bell method of giving it, is to prefs out the 
juice, and let it ftand to fubfide ; then pouring 
oft' the clear part, the fettlings are to be dried. 
A flight infufion of it is ufeful in hyfterick cafes, 
and externally it is a very good addition to cata- 
plafms ibr hard and painful fweilings. 
2. White Bryony with black berries. 
Bryonia alba baccis nigris. 
The root is large, like that of the common 
kind. 
The ftalks arc numerous, weak, and climb- 
ing ; and they arc very rough to the touch. 
The leaves are large, broad, fhort, and of a 
dufliy green. 
The flowers are whitifli ; and the berries, when 
ripe, not red, as in the other, but black. 
it is not a variety of the former, but a diftinft 
fpecies : the feeds of one will not produce the 
other. 
It is found in hedges in fume parts of the 
kingdom common enough, as about Cambridge. 
The berries are ripe in Auguft. 
C. Bauhine calls it Bryonia alba baccis nigris; 
a name copied by mofl: others. 
Its virtues are the fame with thofe of the 
former. 
D I V I- 
