Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

FAMILY HERBAL. 115
*.nd sharp at the point. The flowers are small,
and of a greenish colour with some white threads,
and they afterwards become brown. The root is
and of a reddish brown.
large,, long,
It is a good remedy in the scurvy. The root con-
tains the greatest virtues, and it is to be given in
diet drinks. The seeds of this, and all other docks,
arc astringent, and good against purgings.
Garden Dock, called Monks' Rhubarb. Lapatham
sativum, patientia.
A TALL plant of the dock kind, a native of
Italy, and kept in our gardens
for its virtues. It
grows six or seven feet high. The stalk is round,
striated, thick, upright, and firm. The leaves are
very large, long, and are pointed at the extremity :
they stand upon thick hollowed foot stalks ; and
the main stalk of the plant is also frequently red.
The flowers are like those of the other docks,
greenish and white at first, but afterwards brown ;
but they are
larger than in almost any other kind.
the outer
The root is very large, long, and divided ;
coat is of a brownish yellow ; within, it is yellow
mixed with red. This is the part used ; it has been
called monks' rhubarb, from its possessing some of the
virtues of the true rhubarb but it ; possesses them
only in a slight degree, it is very little purgative,
and less astringent : It works by urine as well as
stool, and is good in the jaundice, and other disorders
arising from obstructions.
There is another plant of the dock kind, called
bastard rhubarb, kept in some gardens, and mistaken
for this. The leaves of it are roundish. It baa
the same virtues with the monks' rhubarb, but in a
much less
degree, so that it is very wrong to use it
in its place.