045-048 Bramble, Betony, Marum, Brooklime.

045 Black Berry. 045c Black Berry. 45. Bramble or Blackberry Bush. Rubus or Rubus vulgaris.

1. This Shrub has many long creeping Branches; there are commonly 5 Leaves on one Footstalk in the lower Parts, and three on the upper Parts next ye Fruit; the Leaves are a deep Green; the Flowers a pale Red, and sometimes White; and the Fruit when ripe is of a black Colour.
2. It grows in most Hedges, & flowers in Iune & Iuly: the Fruit is ripe in September.
3. The Leaves are accounted restringent, & are frequently prescribed in Gargarisms for sore Mouths & Throats; the unripe Fruit is very binding and restringent, useful for all kinds of Fluxes & Bleeding, for Thrushes & sore Mouths. The Juice of the ripe Fruit made into Syrup is esteemed good against the Heat of Urine.
4. Greek, Βάτος. Latin, Rubus, & Rubus vulgaris. Spanish, Carza. Italian, Rove. French, Ronce. German, Briamen, Brambeer and Grakbeer. Dutch, Braam-bezein.

046 Betony. 46. Betony. Betonica & Betonica silvestris or vulgaris.

1. It grows to be eighteen Inches high, the Leaves are a deep grass Green, and the Flowers a red Purple.
2. Betony grows in Woods & Tickets & by Hedge-sides, & flowers in May and Iune.
3. It is accounted a good cephalic, hepatick & vulnerary Plant. The Ancients had it so much in esteem that Antonius Musa, Physician to Augustus Caesar, wrote a whole Treatise on it. The Leaves dried & mix'd with Tobacco are frequently smoaked for the Head-Ach, Vertigo, & sore Eyes. Mixd with Wood-Sage & Ground-Pine, it makes a good diet Drink for the Gout & Rheumatism. The fresh leaves bruised are good for green Wounds & to draw out Splinters. The officinal preparations are the conserve of the Flowers, and the Emplastrum de Betonica.
4. Greek, Κεσρον & Ψυχότροφον. Latin, Betonica. Spanish, Bretonia. Italian, Beloneca. French, Betoine. German, Betonien. Dutch, Betonie.

047 Marum. 047c Marum. 47. Marum, or Syrian mastic Thyme. Marum Syriacum.

Also see #009, Wood-Sage.

(Some Teucriums contain livertoxic neo-clerodane diterpenoids. Their use is discouraged. --Henriette.)

1. This plant grows to be a Foot high, the Leaves are willow Grwwn, & ye Flowers red.
2. It grows naturally in Candy and Syria; and is nursed up here in ye Gardens of the Curious; and flowers in Iuly.
3. Marum is accounted a good cephalic and nervine Plant, and is much used in cephalic Snuff; but is of little service else in Physick.
4. Greek, Μάρον η υσόβριον. Latin, Marum Syriacum, or Majorana and Crëtica, or Marum Cretense. Spanish, -. Italian, Maro. French, -. German, -. Dutch, -.

048 Brook Lime. 048c Brook Lime. 48. Brooklime. Anagalis aquatica or Becabunga.

1. It grows to be sixteen Inches high, the Leaves are a grass Green, and the Stalks a reddish Green, and the Flowers a fine Blue.
2. This Plant grows in Rills & running Ditches, it flowers in Iune, & keeps its Leaves all ye Winter.
3. It is accounted a good deabstruent & antiscorbutic, abounding with volatile Parts, very good for ye Scurvy, being and Ingredient of ye antiscorbutic Juices, & diet Drinks for that Distemper. It is like wise detersive & cleansing, useful in obstructions of ye Kidneys by Gravel or slimy Humours, as also for the Stone & Dropsy. Matthiolus says it is good to bring away a false conception, & provoke the Menses.
4. Greek, Αναγαλλίς. Latin, Anagallis aquatica & Becabunga. Spanish, -. Italian, -. French, Berle. German, Wasserbungen and Backbungem. Dutch, Bekeboon & Beek-pungen.


A Curious Herbal, Containing Five Hundred Cuts of the Most Useful Plants, Which Are Now Used in the Practice of Physick was written, drawn, engraved and coloured by Elizabeth Blackwell in 1737 (Vol. 1) and 1739 (Vol. 2).