CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

WINTER GREEN

Description. The leaves of Winter-green do somewhat resemble those of the pear-tree, but are hardly solarge; they grow on foot-stalks two or three inches long, smooth, and of a firm texture. The stalks grow to be a foot high, bearing on their tops several small five leaved white flowers, having a few stamina in the middle, growing one above another in a loose spike, which are succeeded by cornered seed-vessels, full of very small seed; the root is small, slender, and fibrous.

Place. It grows in woods, in divers parts of England, both north and west.

Time. It flowers in July.

Government and virtues. This is another Lunar plant. The leaves, which are the only part used, and that not often, are cooling and drying, and a good vulnerary both for inward and outward wounds and hæmmorhages, ulcers in the kidnies or bladder; as also against making bloody water, and the excess of the catamenia. They use it in Germany in all their wound drinks, and in many of their ointments and plaisters. With us the better knowledge of chirurgery has put these vulnerary plants much out of use.