|
|
|
Kidneywort
KIDNEYWORT, OR WALL PENNYROYAL, OR WALL PENNYWORT
Description. It hath many thick, flat, and round leaves growing from the root, every one having a long foot-stalk fastened underneath, about the middle of it, and a little unevenly weaved sometimes about time edges, of a pale green colour, and somewhat yellow on the upper side like a saucer; from among which rise up one or more tender, smooth, hollow stalks, half a foot high, with two or three small leaves thereon, usually not round as those below, but somewhat long, and divided at the edges; the tops are somewhat, divided into long branches, bearing a number of flowers, set round about a long spike one above another, which are hollow, and like a little bell of a whitish green colour, after which come small heads, containing very small brownish seed, which falling on the ground, will plentifully spring up before winter, if it have moisture. The root is round, and most usually smooth, grevysh without, and white within, having small fibres at the head of the root, and bottom of the stalk.
Place. It groweth very plentifully in many places of this land, but especially in all the west parts thereof, upon stone and mud walls, upon rocks also, and in stony places, upon the ground, at the bottom of old trees, and sometimes on the bodies of them that are decayed and rotten.
Time. It usually flowereth in the beginning of May, and the seed ripeneth quickly after, shedding itself; so that about the end of May, usually the leaves and stalks are withered, dry, and gone until September, that the leaves spring up again, and so abide all winter.
Government and Virtues. Venus challengeth the herb under Libra. The juice or the distilled water being drank, is very effectual for allinflammation, and unnatural heats, to cool a fainting hot stomach, a hot liver, or the bowels ; the herb, juice, or distilled water whereof, outwardly applied, heaIeth pimples, St. Anthony’s fire, and other outward heats. The said juice or water helpeth to heal sore kidneys, torn or fretted by the stone, or exulcerated within; it also provoketh urine, is available for the dropsy. and helpeth to break the stone. Being used as a bath, or made into an ointment, it cooleth the painful piles or hemorrhoidal veins. It is no lees effectual to give ease in pains of the hot gout, the sciatica, and the inflaminations and swellings in the cods it helpeth the kernels or knots in the neck or throat, called the king’s evil ; healeth kibes and chilblains if they be bathed with the juice, or anointed with ointment made thereof, and sonic of the skin of the leaf upon them it is also used in green wounds to stay the blood, and to heal them quickly.
|
|
| N.B. - Housenote: Cotyledon Umbilicus , Wall Pennywort. Penny Pies. Wall Pennyroyal. |
|
|
