Perennial. — Flowers in June, July, and August. 
Root somewhat woody, fibrous, Stem from 4 to 8 inches or a 
foot high, more or less procumbent, alternately branched, round, 
hairy, leafy. Radical-leaves numerous, large, and elegant, on long 
petioles (foot-stalks), roundish kidney -shaped, bluntly lobed, ser- 
rated ; of a bright pleasant green above, paler and most hairy 
below ; stem-leaves much smaller, nearly sessile, with a pair of 
large, notched stipulas to each. Flowers numerous, yellowish- 
green, terminating the stem in little corymbose clusters. Flower- 
stalks nearly capillary, smooth. Mouth of the Calyx closed by a 
yellow, fleshy ring. Germens 1 or 2. Seeds 1 or 2. Styles 
lateral. 
This is one of the most elegant of our native plants, and is not 
uncommon in dry upland pastures in many parts of Britain ; it is 
also occasionally found in low moist meadows ; I have seen it in 
such situations between Yarnton and Cassington, near Oxford, but 
very sparingly. It varies much in hairiness and smoothness, as 
well as in size and stature. The whole plant is astringent and 
slightly tonic. The leaves were formerly used in medicine, and 
were esteemed to be vulnerary. In the province of Smolandia, in 
Gothland, a tincture is made from the leaves, and given in spas- 
modic or convulsive diseases. Horses, sheep, and goats eat it ; 
swine refuse it ; cows are not fond of it. — “ The Rev. S. Dicken- 
son gives the following curious account of its pernicious effects on 
cows : * Being lately on a visit to Somerford, the Hon. E. Moncton 
requested me to examine the herbage of a meadow near the river 
Penk, in which he had the misfortune, a few years ago, to have five 
milking cows die suddenly at once, and several more were with 
difficulty recovered. The symptoms of the disease, which he attri- 
buted to some noxious plant, were irremediable obstruction in the 
bowels. Upon examination, I found a very unusual abundance of 
Alchemilla vulgaris in every part of the field ; and am inclined to 
believe this plant was the cause of the fatality, as it is known to be 
of a very astringent quality. It was the aftermath the herd de- 
pastured ; and the survivors, upon being introduced into the same 
field the Summer following, were immediately affected with similar 
symptoms, but removed in time to prevent the fatal consequences ; 
since which Mr. Moncton has never hazarded the depasturing of 
it by neat cattle.’”. Dr. Withering. 
" — — Let us read 
The living page, whose ev’ry character 
Delights and gives us wisdom. Not a tree, 
A plant, a leaf, a blossom, but contains 
A folio volume. We may read, and read. 
And read again, and still find something new. 
Something to please, and something to instruct, 
E'en in the noisome weed. 
Ilvnsis, 
