CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

SNEEZEWORT YARROW

Description. The root is long and fibrous, slender, and hung with many fibres. The stalk is round, upright, and two feet and a half high, of a pale green, and branched. The leaves are long, narrow, of a deep green, rough on the surface, sharp-pointed, and serrated at the edges. The flowers are very numerous, small and white, and they terminate the branches. The seed is oval.

Place. It is common on ditch-banks.

Time. It flowers in August.

Government and virtues. Venus governs this useful but neglected plant. The leaves dried and powdered and snuffed up the nose, occasion sneezing, and are excellent against inveterate head-achs. The young tops are of a sharp but pleasant taste, and may be eaten in sallads. This plant, though at present not much regarded, deserves more notice than the present practice takes of it. It is a very good vulnerary, both inwardly taken in infusion, decoction, &c. and outwardly applied in formentations. For it is a drier and astringent, and therefore proper to be used in all immoderate fluxes, whether of the bowels, or other parts, especially of the menses, and in female weaknesses.