Re'g. FI. p. 63. — Cow. F), Guide, p. 21. — Mack. Catal. FI. of Ivel. p. 66. ; FI, Ilib. 
p. 75. — AnthyUis leguminnsa, Johnson’s Gerarde, p. 1210. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. 
v. ii. p. 597. — Vulneraria rustica, Ray’s Syn. p. 325. 
Localities. — In fields and pastures on a chalky or limestone soil ; not uncommon. 
Perennial. — Flowers from May to August. 
Root woody. Stems several, annual, round, clothed more or less 
with close-pressed hairs, leafy, mostly simple, ascending, about a 
foot high. Leaves somewhat glaucous, those from the root simple, 
elliptical, on long petioles, soon disappearing ; those on the stems 
alternate, pinnate, with a terminal elliptical leaflet, and from 3 to 
6 pairs of smaller, and more spear-shaped ones ; all entire ; smooth 
above, hairy or silky underneath and at the margin. Flowers nu- 
merous, sessile, in two dense, roundish, terminal heads, in close 
contact. Bracteas large, palmate, (fingered), close beneath the 
heads of flowers. Calyx membranous, whitish, hairy, contracted 
at the mouth, 2-lipped (see fig. 1). Corolla usually yellow, rarely 
white, or red. Filaments each with its top distended like a hollow 
bladder, in form of an inverted pyramid, with the anther fixed in 
the centre of the base of the pyramid (see fig. 11). Style thickest 
at the curvature, thinner above and below. Legume (see fig. 8.) 
on a short pedicle, nearly orbicular, compressed, veiny, smooth, 
with a solitary Seed. 
There is a variety of this plant with a red, and another with a 
white or cream-coloured flower ; the former, which is figured in 
Dillenius’ Flortus Eltharnensis, t. 320. f. 413., was first observed 
by Mr. Lhwyd, in Pembrokeshire ; and afterwards by Dillenius 
in the Isle of Anglesea, and in the Isle of Man, in 1726. It has 
since been found in Cornwall, by Mr. Stackhouse ; and in Scot- 
land, by Mr. Winch. The Rev. H. Davies says it is very com- 
mon along the sandy South-west coast of Anglesea, from whence 
he transplanted it into his garden, where he observed the flowers 
to alter their colour considerably, and the plant to grow more 
luxuriant, the second year; and in the third to become entirely 
the common plant in every respect. Miller says he never found 
it to alter from seed, though he had cultivated it for many years. 
Mr. Borrer finds the white, flowered variety on the Downs of 
Sussex ; and the Rev. H. Davies found it near the old fortifica- 
tion, on Bryn Gwydryn, Anglesea. 
Linn/eijs observes, that “ in Oeland, where the soil is a redcalcarious clay, t lie 
flowers of Anthyllis vulneraria are red ; but that in Gothland, where the soil is 
white, the flowers also are white.” In England they are usually yellow; in 
Portugal red. 
It is recommended as an excellent pasturage for sheep ; and Mr. Young, in 
the. Annals of Agriculture, vol. xv. p. 584, infotms us, that it abounds greatly 
in the best meadows of the Pyrenees; at the same time he says, that its produce 
is not large. With us the whole plant is dry, and looked upon as astringent ; 
this is owing most probably to its affecting dry calcarious soils; cultivated in a 
rich soil it would doubtless become more succulent, though it would probably 
never rival several other leguminous plants. — Cows and goats are said to eat it, 
and though not in cultivation, Mr. S.iusBtmv considers it well worth attention, 
as, where it grows naturally, (in calcareous soil,) cows produce better milk, anil 
in greater quantity. 
Gesner, it seems, first raised the report of the vulnerary properties of this 
plant, which perhaps, like other soft and downy applications, may on an emer- 
gency staunch the blood of rustic wounds, and give nature and a good constitution 
time to perfect a cure. Threlkei.d tells us, in his Synopsis Stirpium Hiber- 
mcarum, published in 1726, that it was regularly sold in the markets in Ireland, 
by the name of Stanch, being astringent. A yellow dye may be obtained from it. 
See Sm. Eng. FI . ; Don's Syst. of Card. S; Bot. ; Mill. Diet, by Martyn, SjC. 
