CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

BUCK'S-HORN PLANTAIN

Description. This being sown of seed, riseth up at first with small, long, narrow, hairy, dark green leaves like grass, without any division or gash in them, but those that follow are gashed in on both sides the leaves into three or four gashes, and pointed at the ends, resembling the knags of a buck's horn, (whereof it took its name) and being well ground round about the root upon the ground, in order one by another, thereby resembling the form of a star, from among which rise up divers hairy stalks about a hand's breadth high, bearing every one a long, small, spikey head, like to those of the common plantain, having such like bloomings and seed after them. The root is single, long, and small, with divers strings at it.

Place. They grow in sandy grounds, as in Tothill-fields by Westminster, and divers other places of this land.

Time. They flower and seed in May, June, and July, and their green leaves do in a manner abide fresh all the winter.

Government and virtues. It is under the dominion of Saturn, and is of a gallant drying, and binding quality. This boiled in wine and drank, and some of the leaves put to the hurt place, is an excellent remedy for the biting of the viper or adder, which I take to be one and the same: The same being also drank, helpeth those that are troubled with the stone in the reins or kidneys, by cooling the heat of the parts afflicted, and strengthening them; also weak stomachs that cannot retain, but cast up their meat. It stayeth all bleeding both at mouth and nose; bloody urine, or the bloody-flux, and stoppeth the lask of the belly and bowels. The leaves hereof bruised and laid to their sides that have an ague, suddenly easeth the fit; and the leaves and roots being beaten with some bay-salt and applied to the wrists, worketh the same effects. The herb boiled in ale or wine, and given for some mornings and evenings together, stayeth the distillation of hot and sharp rheums falling into the eyes from the head, and helpeth all sorts of sore eyes.