CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

SHEEP'S SORREL

Description. This Sorrel is lower and smaller than the common, having many narrow sharp-pointed leaves, each of which has two large ears growing to the end next the stalk, which make the leaf appear like the head of a bearded spear; they are sour like the common. The flowers grow in spikes as the former, are small and staminous, and the seed triangular, and less that the seed of that. The root is small and creeping in the ground.

Place. It grows in dry barren soil.

Time. It flowers in May. It is but rarely used, being supposed to have less virtue than the common Sorrel.

Government and virtues. The leaves of all the Sorrels are very cooling, allaying thirst, and repressing the bile: are good in fevers, being cordial, and resisting putrefaction. They are of great use against the scurvy, and to that end are commended to be eaten in the spring in sallads; and the juice is frequently given among the other antiscorbutic juices. The root has no sourness but a bitter restringent tste, and is accounted serviceable against the scurvy, and bilious fluxes. The seed is also very restringent, and is therefore put into diascordium and other binding medicines.