1082 Salmons Herbal. Lib. 1 . 
Sialk, at the Tops of the Stem end Brunches, con- 
filing of tinny pole yellow Threads , which fall 
„ w jy without bearing any Seed , but farther or 
higher up, upon the Stem, or main Stalk , and 
Sometimes upon the Branches, break forth other 
'heads, which are the Seed, upon long Yootjlalks, be- 
ing Triangular , rough and afhcolored on the out- 
ride, or outward Jbeil, which opening it felf or 
being opened, there lies within it the Seed, whofe 
outward husk is difcolored, or as it were J potted 
and Jhaped like unto a Tick or Tike, which con- 
tains within it, a pretty large, round, fomewbat 
long and flat Shining Seed, of a brown color, 
having a white Pulp or Kernel within it, of a 
fiery hot Tafte, burning the Mouth and Throat 
of fucb as cat it, but very Oily , and from which 
(in the Welt-Indies, as in Carolina, (Sic.) they 
prefs forth an OH, which is ufed for External 
purpofes, and femes alfo to burn in Lamps, but 
‘is hurtful to be ufed with food, as Diofcorides 
fays i and yet I have been told by fame in thofe 
Welt-Indies, that they eat it as Oil Olive, with- 
out any hurt or detriment ; this may be true for 
all that I know, and yet l Jhould be loath to make 
the Experiment. 
IV Gerard deferibes it after this manner. Rici- 
nus, Palma Chrilti or Kjk, from a long well 
branched Root, Springs up with a great round 
holloa Stalk, five Cubits or (even or eight 
feet high , of a brown color , dyed of a blewifh 
Purple upon green. The Leaves are great and 
large, divided into fever al fetlions or parts, fa- 
Jhioncd like unto the Leaves of a Eiglree , but 
greater, and Spread wider open like a Alans hand 
Towards the Top, there comes forth a bunch oj 
flowers c/uflering together like a bunch of Grapes , 
of which the lovjermoji are of a pale yellow color, 
and wither away without bearing any fruit , but the 
uppermoft are reddijh , bringing forth three corner- 
ed heads or husks, in which arc contained the Seed 
as big as a kidney bean, of the color and fhape of 
a certain Vermin whichhaunts Cattel , called a Tick 
or Tike. ^j| 
V. The Tecond, or letter Species of the Great 
Spurge or Palrtia Chrilti. It is like the former , 
but leffer in every part , allho it grow in the fame 
ground, whofe Seed being ripe is manifeftly much 
leffer than that of the former. This Plant Clufius 
in his Exoticks, Lib. 2. Cap. 21 • has taken notice 
of-, and Beflerus in his Hortus Eyftettenfis, has 
largely prefigured. 
VI. The third, or American Great Spurge, or 
Palma Chrilti. This differs from the two former 
forts , not only in the greatnefs , but alfo in the 
form ; for as Nlonardus and Aldinus fay, it grows 
to be much greater than any growing in Spain, 
whofe firfl Leaves are almofi round, and larger 
than thofe of the firfl Species, but thofe which fol- 
low are broad tike to the Palm of an hand, and cut 
in or Torne on the edges for the mojl part into 
Jive dwifiofts, Something refembling or anfwering 
to the Jive fingers of a hand (whence probably 
came the Name PentadaHylus, and is an appella- 
tion more proper for this Species, than for either 
of the former.) In the Seed there is fome diffe- 
rence alfo, which tho 1 the heads or husks are Tri- 
angular as other Spurges are, and the former Ri- 
cini, yet the outward husk is not prickly or rough, 
but fmooth , and of an AJh color , the inner moft Seed 
it felf being J owe what like the former but more 
black, and not Spotted at all, ana is full as Oily 
as the firfl before defcribed , and of which a great 
quantity of Oil is made for outward ufes. Its fub- 
Jlance is woody and is of the magnitude of a hedg 
Shrub. 
VII. The Places. The firfl grow s with us in 
England in our Gardens, and was brought to us 
from America : but it grows alfo in the hotter 
Countries of Europe, Afia, and Africa, as in 
Syria, JEgypt, and other parts adjacent to them, 
where as Belhnius in Obfervat. lib. 1. cap. 18. 
fays, the Stalk grows to be as big as the Body of 
a Man, and as Tall as a reafonable great Tree, 
whofe Seed cannot be gathered without a Ladder, 
its leaves not falling away in Winter; nothing 
of which we know in our Colder Climates. 
This Syrian or ^Egyptian Seed contains a violent 
heat in it ; for the half part of one Seed being 
taken by a Itrong young Man of about 20 Years 
of Age, very much troubled with the He3d-ach, 
purged him very forceably and eafed the Pain : 
But by accident chewing the Seed in his Mouth 
(which he ought to have fwallowed whole with- 
out Chewing) it fa vehemently inflamed his Chaps 
and Throat, and Mouth of the Stomach, that it 
put him into a Fever and gave him an intolerable 
Thirlt with a Fainting of the Spirits, which con- 
tinued for the fpace of nine days, and then he 
dyed, notwithllanding he was under the care of 
three Phyfitians, who ufed all the means imagina- 
ble. The fecond and third kinds, grow in feveral 
parts of America ; the fecond in particular I found 
in fome Plantations in South Carolina , and Par- 
k'll! fm fays, his firft Seed thereof came from the 
Bermudas, as before is hinted. 
VIII. The Times. With us in England they are 
Sown in the beginning of April, and flower in the 
end of July and beginning of Auguft , their Seed 
being ripe towards the latter end of the fame 
Month. 
IX. The Vitalities. The Seed is only ufed being 
hot and dry in the fourth degree. It is inflaming, ex- 
treamly Attraftive, and Itrongly Emetick and 
Catharcick. 
X. The Specification. It is peculiar for the 
Cure of a cold Scurvy , Cephalalgia , Dropfy, 
Jaundice, Scrophula, Sciatica , Rheumatifm and 
Gout. 
XI. T he Preparations. You may have, 1. The 
hulPd Seed. 2. A Deeollion thereof in Broth. 3. 
An Expreffed Oil of the Seed. 4. A Cataplafm. 
The Virtues. 
XII. The hulTd Seed. Diofcorides lays, that 30 
Seeds freed from the Husks, being bruifed and 
taken in Drink, or other proper Vehicle, does 
purge choler , water and flegm , and expel 
Aqueous humors abundantly from the Belly, pro- 
voking Urine alfo; but as Diofcorides himfelf 
confeSes, it troubles the Stomach, and overturns 
it mightily; yet with good Advice it may be gi- 
ven to Itrong and Vigorous Eodys, correfted with 
Anifeed, Carraways, Fennel Seed, or Winters 
Cinnamon ; and fo may be given to fuch as are 
troubled with the Dropfy, Sciatica, Gout, Rheu- 
matifm, Kings-Evil, Melancholy, Jaundice, Mad- 
nefs, OV. becaufe it draws water and flegm Itrong- 
ly from the remote Parts. Cofheus in his Com- 
mentary upon Mefues, thinks that the Dofe of 30 
Grains or Seeds to be a fault in thofe who Coppi- 
ed out Diofcorides, fetting down 30 for 3, which 
latter number is the utmolt Dofe, which may be 
fafely given. Clufius fays, he knew divers Em- 
pyricks give of the fmall Seed, which came out 
