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Strawberry Cinquefoil

Description. The root is large, reddish, and woody: it is divided at the top into several heads, and has a few fibres. The foot-stalks of the leaves are four inches long, tender, and hairy. The leaves are broad, oblong, hairy, serrated, and not unlike those of strawberry, but less: of the winged kind, not fingered, as in the ordinary Cinquefoils. The stalk is round, firm, erect, and two feet and a half high. It is hairy, and divided at the top into branches, upon which grow like leaves, but only smaller. The flowers are numerous, large, and white. They stand at the tops of the branches, and are succeeded each by a head or cluster of seeds, in some sort resembling a strawberry, whence the name.

Place. It grows wild in Cumberland and Wales, and scarce elsewhere in Britain. Time. It flowers in May and June.

Government and virtues. It is an herb under Jupiter. The root possesses a considerable astringency, and is excellent in the overflowing of the menses, and in bloody stools. The best way of giving it is in powder, and its dose is a scruple. The young leaves in an infusion are diuretic. It is good in intermittent fevers; and from what experience shews us of its efficacy and safety, we seem to blame not to pursue our own knowledge in the virtues of not only this, but of many other plants of our own growth. Botany, which has of late become a science much studied for curiosity, deserves to be much more cultivated for use.