﻿Perennial. — Flowers in June and July. 



Root tapering, reddish, branched at the summit, not creeping ; 

 its flavour very astringent. Herb deep green, covered with soft 

 silky hairs, and when slightly bruised exhaling a peculiar, but 

 grateful, aromatic scent. Stem upright, cylindrical, about 2 feet 

 high, scarcely branched. Leaves alternate, about a span long, com- 

 posed of several pair of leaflets, with various small intermediate 

 ones, and an odd one at the end ; leaflets mostly opposite, nearly 

 sessile, somewhat egg-shaped, veiny, coarsely serrated, the small 

 leaflets for the most part entire or 3-cleft, terminal leaflet more or 

 less stalked. Stipulas of the upper leaves rounded, palmate (hand- 

 shaped). Flowers yellow, very numerous, in a close tapering spike, 

 with lobed bracteas. Calyx of the fruit externally surrounded 

 with rigid, filiform, hooked bristles, which attach themselves to any 

 thing that comes in their way, like burs. Petals egg-shaped, con- 

 cave, very slightly notched at the summit, twice as long as the 

 calyx. Stamens from 5 to 12. Germen crowned with the calyx, 

 and a yellowish fleshy receptacle. Styles thread-shaped. Stigmas 

 blunt. Seeds 2, nearly egg-shaped, smooth, flattish on one side. 



Agrimony has been chiefly regarded as a medicinal plant, and 

 as such is often raised in gardens. The leaves have a slightly 

 bitterish, roughish taste, accompanied with an agreeable, though 

 weak, aromatic flavour. The flowers are in smell stronger, and 

 more agreeable, than the leaves, and in taste somewhat weaker. 

 They readily give out their virtues both to water and rectified spirit. 

 The leaves impart to the former a greenish yellow, to the latter a 

 deep green colour : the flowers yield their own deep yellow tincture 

 to both menstrua. 



The Canadians are said to use an infusion of the root of Agrimony in burn- 

 ing fevers with great success ; and an infusion of six ounces of the crown of the 

 root, in a quart of boiling water, sweetened with honey, and half a pint of it 

 drank three times a day, Dr. Hill says, is an effectual cure for the jaundice, 

 lie advises to begin with an emetic, afterwards to keep the bowels soluble, and 

 to continue the medicine as long as any symptoms of the disease remain. — 

 Infusions of the leaves, which are not disagreeable, may be used as tea. The 

 plant has long been recommended in scorbutic disorders, in debility and laxity 

 of the intestines, &c. Digested in whey, it affords a useful diet-drink, for the 

 Spring season, not ungrateful to the palate or the stomach. Dr. Alston pre- 

 fers administering the herb in a powder, when the intention is to corroborate ; 

 and if thus taken in large quantity, he expects it will cure ague. According to 

 the observations of Linn/eus sheep and goats eat it ; cows, horses, and swine 

 refuse it. The flowers, fresh gathered, smell like apricots. See Curt. FI. Loud. 

 and With. Bot. Arr. 7th edition. 



