CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

WILD, OR MEADOW SAXIFRAGE

Description. This saxifrage has a root about a finger thick, striking deep in the ground, of a brownish colour on the outside, and whitish within, of a hot aromatic taste and smell; from which spring several winged leaves, not very large, cut into long narrow segments. The stalks are channelled, arising to be two feet or more in height, beset with smaller leaves, and having on their tops umbels of pale, yellow, small five-leaved flowers, and after them come short striated reddish brown seeds.

Place. It grows common in meadows, and pasture grounds.

Time. It flowers in August.

Virtues. The root, herb, and seed are used, being all accounted excellent in provoking urine, and of great service in the gravel, stone, and other distermpers of the kidnies; as also in expelling wind.

There is another more slender saxifrage, with smaller flowers, white also, but it has larger leaves of a deep green. It differs in nothing else with the former.

Place. It grows in meadows and pastures that are damp.

Time. It flowers in May and June.

Virtues. This little plant is an excellent diuretic; an infusion of the whole plant operates powerfully and safely by urine, and clears the passages from gravel. The dried roots were used to be kept by the druggists under the title of saxifrage seeds, but they are not half so efficacious as when fresh taken out of the ground.