'Englijb Herbs. 
l 19 
d unen fis -, Anguftifolia Bauhini , Our Greateft Chick- 
weed : Gerard calls it, Alfine major, i. AIJine 
mmor , Our Common fmall Chickweed. %. Alfine 
Baccifera , and Baccifera repens , Cacubalum Plinij , 
Alfine repens Clufij , Berry -bearing Chick-weed, and 
Spreading Chickweed. 
III. The Defcriptions. The firft to white 
thready Boot, fmall, and confifiing of fiver al little 
firings like hairs, from whence rife up Stalks a foot or 
foot and half high, and fomctimes higher, a great many 
from one Root, long, and round, fender, full of 
Joints, with two Leaves growing out, of every Knot 
or Joint, almofi as large, and as long or longer than 
Pellitory Leaves, to which they are very like lnfhape 
or form, but fmooth, without any hairy nefs or downi- 
nefs,and of a light green color . The Stalks are 
fomewhat clear, and as it were perlucid, or tranfpa- 
rent ', ami about the Joints they are often of a very 
light red color. The Mowers are at the tops of the 
Branches , being white, and conffiing of fix Leaves 
apiece , ftanding in long green Husks, not much un- 
like to the Flowers of Sticchwort, but leffer. Which 
being pafi, in their places fucceed long Knops, or 
Seed Veffels, but not great, , containing within them 
fmall yellowifb Seed. 
IV. The fecond has a Root white, and full alfo of 
little firings, from whence fpring many Stalks or 
Branches, as in the former, which for the mofi part 
lye upon the ground : The Stalks are fmall, round , 
long, fender, brittle, or very tender, and jointed : 
from which fender Branches fpring Leaves, refem- 
bling the precedent, but much lefs, as is likewife the 
whole Llant, which in no ref pelt attains to the great- 
ncfs of the former, -, the Flowers are alfo in like 
manner white and Jmall, flan ding in like fifhioned 
green long husks •, which being pafi, the faid Husks 
or Knops contain fmall yellowifh Seed. 
V. The third has a Root which is white and long, 
creeping much under ground, and fhooting forth in 
divers places every year new fhoots , the old dying 
away every Tear : from this Root come forth many 
flexible Branches full of Joints, rifing higher than 
a Alan, if it Jlands by bufhes or other things, where 
it may take hold -, otherwfe, through weakmfs, they 
lye upon the ground, and fofeem not fo long or tall. 
At every one of the Joints fiand two Leaves, one 
againfi another, much like to the Common Great 
Chickweed Leaves, but larger, and coming fome- 
what near to thofe of Pellitory of the Wall, and of 
afrefh green color. At the Joints alfo, on both 
fides of the Stalks come forth other Branches , joint- 
ed and fet with the like fafhioned Leaves in the 
fame manner, and at the ends of them large, green, 
round Husks, ending in five points , with white 
Flowers growing out of them, confifiing of five, and 
fometimes of fix white Leaves apiece, cut in at the 
ends : in which Husks, after the Flowers are pafi, 
fiand fmall round Heads, like Berries, green at the 
fitfl, and blackifh when they are ripe, containing with- 
in them many flat, blackifh, purple Seed. This Plant 
has only an herby tafie, like to the Common Chick- 
weeds, and therefore the Learned Botanijls refer it 
to them. 
VI. The Places. The firft grows alrnoft every 
where throughout England , by Highways and Ditch 
fides, in moilt and watry places, elpecially if the 
Earth is rich. The fecond is found alfo in many of 
the like places, as alfo in Gardens, where many 
times it is a molt pernicious Weed. The la ft, Chi - 
fius fays, grows in leveral places of Spain and Ger- 
many •, as alio in Flanders and England, as Pena 
and Label fay * Parkinfon fays, that he had fome- 
times found it by Hedge fides in our own Land. 
VII. The limes. Chickweed is mofily green in 
Winter j they Flo veer in Spring and Summer -, and 
their Seed is ripe in June and July. 
VIII. The Qualities. They are cold and moift in 
the lecond Degree : Emollient, Arthritick, Anndvn, 
and Alterative : Galen and Oribafius lay, they are 
without any Aflringent Quality. 
IX. The Specification. Their Juice is peculiar a- 
gainft the Inflammation called St. Anthonies fire. 
A a 2 X. The 
