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Show WOOD BETONY. BETONICA OFFICINALIS. Class XIV. Didynamia. Order 1. Gymnospermia. Essent. Gen. Cuar. Superior Lip of the Corollaflat, rising: Tube cylindrical: Stamina the lengthof the throat. Spec. Cuar, Spike interrupted: Upper Lip of the Corolla entire, lower Lip notched. pallies DESCRIPTION. Turs plant rises a foot in height. The stem is square, and hairy. Upper leaves on short footstalks, the lower on long, CREEPING BUGLE. AJUGA REPTANS,. Class XIV. Didynamia. Essent, Gen. Cuar. Order 1. Gymnospermia, Superior Lip of the Corolla small, emarginate. Stamina longer than the superior lip. Srec. Cuar, Stemsingle, having creeping stolones. > opposite, hairy. Flowers in spikes, composed of several whorls, Ses HISTORY. Srem a foot, quadrangular, at the base stoloniferous, prostrate, creeping. Leaves opposite, obovate, obtuse, spread ing. Ver. ticils many-flowered. Corolla blue, with a white throat, of a purple colour. Bracteas placed under the flowers. Native of Britain, common in woods and heaths, flowering in August and Sptember. MEDICAL VIRTUES. “* The description of the Beroviny by Dioscorides,” says Dr. Woodville, “ applies equally to many of the other verticillated plants ; he also states it to be purgative: hence it seems doubtful if by that name he meant our plant.” But its root both yomits and purges, taken in the smallest dose. Antonius Musa, physician to the emperor Augustus, filled a whole volume with enumerating its many virtues; it cured forty- seven different disorders ; and hence the proverb still existing, ** You have morevirtues than betony.” Hildanus boasts, that by giving two drachms to the dose he has cured the gout in others and himself, Cull en allows it to bea good cephalic; and Scopoli says, that he expe ced himselfits goodeffects. This plant merits a better invesrien tigation from modern physicians thanit has hitherto received. DESCRIPTION. HISTORY. Native of Britain, in moist meadows, pastures, and woods ; flowers from April to July. MEDICAL VIRTUE. This plant has some degree of astringency, but its virtues are 4% yet but slightly ascertained. In sore throats, without much constitutional derangement, it is said to be a specifi c. ‘¢ In angina absque febre valet decoctum.” Mémoires de l’Aca démie des Sciences, anno 1754, p. 514, |