CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

SILVERWEED

Description. The root of Silverweed is large, stringy, and full of fibres, sending forth many pretty large, yellowish, green winged leaves, divided into several deeply serrated segments set opposite to one another, with one cut into three parts at the end, of a pleasant grateful scent. The stalks rise to the height of about two feet, having several the like but smaller leaves growing on them, and on their tops are placed the flowers. They are very large and beautiful; they are composed of five petals of a roundish figure not dented at the tops, and are of a most beautivul shining yellow; in the middle of each there is a tuft of threads with yellow buttoms, but smaller than in cinquefoil, and of a paler yellow.

Place. It is common by road-sides, and in low pastures.

Time. It flowers in June.

Government and virtues. This is a plant under Venus, and deserves to be much more known in medicine than it is. It is of the nature of tansy. The leaves are mildly astringent: dried, and given in powder, they will frequently effect a cure in agues and intermitments; the usual dose is a mat-spoonful of the poder every three or four hours betwixt the fits. The roots are more astringent than the leaves, and may be given in posder in doses of a scruple or more in obstinate purgings, attended with bloddy stools, and immoderate menstrual discharges. A stron infusion of the leaves sops the immoderate bleeding of th piles; and, sweetened with a little honey, it is an excellent gargle for sore throats.