CHAP. DCC. 
Of TOOTH-WORT: 
0 R, 
TOOTH-RAPE. 
t-T 
known, being a Plant the Antients were ig- 
norant of} our modern Authors have called it in 
Latine Dent aria, (from the Ukenefs of its RoOts to 
Teeth) alfo Dentillaria by fome Squamaria and 
Squamatia , alfo Radix Squamata , (irom its likenefs 
to Scales) in Englilh Tooth- Wort, Tooth- Rape, or 
Toothed-Lungwort. 
II. The Kinds, There are feveral forts of Tooth- 
worts which are nothing of Kin, or have no relati- 
on one to another, excepting in their Names} as 
the Dent aria , commonly called Coralworts , of 
which we have already fpoken at large, in Chap. 
152. aforegoing, which are no Species of the 
Plant we here intend. The Tooth-Worts in this 
place are of another form and purport, and are 
chiefly two, viz. I. Dentaria , Dent aria major 
Matthioli , Anblatum Dodonai , Arachidum Cafal- 
pini ■, TEglethros Plinij Gefnero 5 Squamaria -, Squa- 
matia • Radix Squamata -, Orobanche radice Dent at a 
major , The greater Tooth-Wort, Tooth-Rape, or 
Toothed-Lungwort. 2. Dentaria minor, Dentilla- 
ria , Dentaria V A ^vxk©-, Aphyllos Clufij , Dentaria 
Coralloide radice , The lefler Tooth-Wort, Tooth- 
Rape, or Toothed Lungwort. 
T&* Descriptions. 
III. The firlf, or the greater Tooth-Wort, Tooth- 
Rape, or Toothed Lungwort. It hen for its Root 
final l Scales, (if they may be fo called J like as the 
Stalks or Branches have , which confift l ike wife, 
wholly of blackifh purple , fhining thick Scales , lying 
Tooth-Wort Greater. 
pretty clofe together, compaff one upon another. In 
the beginning of the Spring , there rife out of the 
tops of thefe fcaly Branches , tender dnd brittle 
f a PPy Stalks, about a fpan in length , without any 
Leaves , but bearing marry whitifh purple gaping 
flowers , and blackifh inward, ft ending in husks, 
in which afterwards grow up fmall Veffels , with 
fmall Seed in them. 
IV . Gerard deferibes it after this manner. There 
is often found among the Mufh rooms, a certain 
kind of Excrefcence confining of a Geliy, or foft 
fubftancc like that of the Mufhroom. It rtfes forth 
of the Ground, in Form like unto Orobanche cr 
Broom-Rape, and alfo in fubftance, having a ten- 
der, thick , tuberous , or mifhapen Body, confifting 
as it were of Scales like unto Teeth, ( whence it took 
its Name) of a dully fhining color, tending to Pur- 
ple. The Stalk rtfes up in the middle, garnifhed 
with little gaping hollow Flowers, like thofe of Sa- 
tyrion } on their out fide of an overworn whitifh co- 
lor. The whole Plant refembles a rude form of that 
Geliy or flimy Matter found in the Fields, which 
is called the Falling of Stars, or Ignis FatUus. Its 
Root is fmall and tender. 
V. The fecond, or lefler Tooth-Wort, Tooth- 
Rape, or Toothed-Lungwort. Its Root is fmaller, 
lefs fcaly, and more white andtranf parent, diver fly 
divaricated like Coral, white of color, full of Juice, 
and. without any Fibres annexed to it. The Stalk 
U in like manner without Leaves, having whitifh 
purple Flowers at the top, fome limes but two or 
( three, and fometimes many more, but varying in 
fome places, as being of a more purplifh color. 
Gerard fays, that this differs not from the former, 
faving that it is altogether lefs, but in mojl other 
refpeUs alike. 
VI. The Places. They grow moft commonly 
under Trees where they have much ffiadow. Ger- 
ard fays they grow at the bottoms of Elme Trees, 
and fuch like, in fhadowy places. He found them 
growing in a Lane called Eaft -Lane, going from 
Maidftone in Kent, unto Cocks- Heath, half a Mile 
from the Town, and in other places thereabouts} 
as alfo in the Fields about Croydon, efpecially about 
a place called Grouts •, and in a Wood in Kent 
called Row, or Rough-Hill, near Crayfoot -, alfo near 
Harwood in Lancafhire , in a Wood called Talbot - 
Bank, a Mile from Whan ley. 
VII. The Times. They fpring up and grow thro’ 
all the Summer Months, and Flower in May -and 
June } and fometimes they are found in Flower in 
July and Auguft. 
VIII. A/ to their Vitalities, Specification, Prepa- 
rations and Virtues, Authors have faid nothing} 
but from the ufe our Country People make of them, 
it is probable that they may be Cooling, Drying, 
Aperitive, Abfterfive, Aftringent and Pulmonick’ 
or appropriated to the Lungs, for which reafon 
they have called it Lungwort , which Authors have 
diltinguiflied (as aforementioned) fnto the greater 
or lefler kinds. 
IX. The Decoffion in Wine or Water. Being 
well fweetned with Honey, it is good to' open Ob- 
ftru&ions of the Lungs, to loofen and expe&orate 
thick tough Flegm which fluffs them up, and cau- 
fes Hoarfenefs, Wheezing, fhortnefs of Breath, 
and difficulty of Breathing -, and therefore may be 
of good ufe in Afthma’s, Phthificks, and other like 
Difeafes of thofe parts, proceeding from Repletion. 
It 
7 I 
CHAP. 
