Pharmaco-botanologia: or, an alphabetical and classical dissertation on all the British indigenous and garden plants of the New London dispensatory ... Decad. II / [Patrick Blair].

Patrick Blair

Date:: 1724

Credit: Pharmaco-botanologia: or, an alphabetical and classical dissertation on all the British indigenous and garden plants of the New London dispensatory ... Decad. II / [Patrick Blair]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$'Alfine is called, by Morifon pentapetalous, and unicapfular: enangiojrpermos7 and vafcular, by Ray: and monangiofpermos, by Boer have *, that is, whole Seeds are contained in a Seed-vejfel with one Pouch \ for according to the Number of the Pouches in the Seed-vcjfels, they are called Monangia, Dian- gia, Triangia, &c. According to the Number of the Seeds, they are called Monofperma, Difperma, Tetrafperma, &c. and according as they are na¬ ked Seeds, or included in a Seed-vejfel, they are called Gymnofperma, or giofperma. The cDefcriptiGn. It’s a final! Plants with low, creeping, infirm, brittle, jointed Stalks *, dif- perfing numerous Branchesy not alcending (from a fmall annual fibrous Root) above half a Foot high, having two (mail, roundifh, or pointed Leaves, arifing by Pairs from each Joint y and ieveral fmall Rofaceom penta- fetalous white Flowers (the Petals are bifid, which Note difiinguifhes this Genus from Spergula, the Petals of which are entire) on the Top furround¬ ing three, four, or more, Chives with double Summits, and contained in a five-leav’d, deep divided Empalement7 to which fucceeds a fmall oval or conical unicapfular Fruit or Seed-vejfel opening at the Top, and fliedding many final], round, brownifh Seeds. It flowers all the Summer, and de¬ lights in moifi: Places, and fat Ground of well manur'd Gardens. Virtues and Ufes. Chick-weed is probably fo called, from the great delight Chickens have in it. It’s lb low, tender, and of lo loft a taft, that they pick at it gree¬ dily, even from their breaking the Egg fhell. It’s moderately aftringenf, and therefore may be boyl’d with good Succefs in Chicken-Broath to confumptive Perfons •, for fiich Plants as confifi: of temperate, aftringent andabforbent Particles, correct the Acrimony, curb the Serum, and more compactly unite the few balfamick Parts which remain in lb fharp a Blood as confumptive, he&ick and phthyfical Perfons are for the moil part cor¬ rupted with. Hence it is, that thefe moderate Aflringents may be jufi- ly efieem’d good Vulneraries, for externally apply’d to Wounds, they blunt and fheath thole fharp and cutting Salts which are the caufes of thofe acute Pains felt at the Hrft and fecond Dreiling. They reftrift the capillary VefTels,lo that the thin, ferous, and ichorous Matter ceafes to flow out in fuch abundance, and the balfamick parts of the Blood being only difeharg’d into the Wound, is loon converted into what is called Lauda¬ ble Pm 7 and inwardly given, they correal tJhe acrimonious Matter efpeci- ■ally in the Lungs, whole tender Texture is foon vitiated, and madecapa- ? S ‘ ble*$