Pearlwort
Description. There are two sorts principally known the upright and the trailing. They both rise from a white slender fibrous root. The first, or sagina erecta has many numerous leaves, of a beautiful green: they are oblong, sharp-pointed, and have no foot-stalks. The stalks are round, upright, slender, and of a pale colour. The flowers stand single upon the top of the stalks, and are white.
Place. It is frequent in dry pastures; there is abundance of it in Hyde-Park, where it makes a very pretty appearance.
The latter, or sagina procumbens, differs from the former only in that it is not quite so tall or straight, and has fewer leaves towards the top, but the flowers grow just the same.
Place. It is common in garden walks and other places where it is not choaked by large needs, and between the stones of steps to old houses. Time. They flower in May.
Government and virtues. The Moon governs these little plants, but the knowledge of their virtues is not supported upon the authority of experience, but very considerable ones are attributed to them. They are said to be powerful diuretics, and good against the gravel and stone, taken in the form of an expressed juice, or in a strong infusion. The opinion of dissolvents of the stone is at this time over: but while it remained in credit, and the several kinds of saxifrage were supposed to possess it, these plants had their share in character.