CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

YUCCA or JUCCA

Description. This Indian plant has a thick tuberous root, spreading in time into many tuberous heads, whence shoot forth many long, hard, and hollow leaves, very sharp pointed, compassing one another at the bottom, of a greyish green colour, abiding continually, or seldom falling away, with sundry hard threads running in them, and being withered, become pliant to bind things. From the midst thereof springs forth a strong round stalk, divided into several branches, whereon stand divers somewhat large white flowers, hanging downwards, consisting of six leaves, with divers veins, of a weak reddish or blueish colour, spread on the back of the outer leaves from the middle to the bottom, not reaching tothe edge of any leaf, which abide not long, but quickly fall away.

Place. It grows in divers places of the West-Indies, as in Virginia and New England.

Time. It flowers about the latter end of July.

Virtues. It has no properties, as yet known of, for physical use. The natives in Virginia use the roots for bread. The raw juice is dangerous, if not deadly, and it is supposed the Indians poisoned the heads of their darts therewith.