CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

CRAB'S CLAWS

Names. Called also water-sengreen, knight's pond-water, water-houseleek, pond-weed, and fresh-water soldier.

Description. It hath sundry long narrow leaves, with sharp prickles on the edges of them, also very sharp pointed; the stalks which bear flowers seldom grow so high as the leaves, bearing a forked head like a crab's claw, out of which comes a white flower, consisting of three leaves, with divers yellowish hairy threads in the middle: it taketh root in the mud, in the bottom of the water.

Place. It groweth plentifully in the fens of Lincolnshire.

Time. It flowereth in June, and usually from thence till August.

Government and virtues. It is a plant under the dominion of Venus, and therefore a great strengthener of the reins; it is excellent good in that inflammation which is commonly called St. Anthony's fire; it assuageth all inflammations and swellings in wounds; and an ointment made of it is excellent good to heal them: there is scarce a better remedy growing than this for such as have bruised their kidneys, and upon that account pissing blood. A drachm of the powder of the herb taken every morning, is a good remedy to stop the terms.