Fig. 653. Andrea Doria's Woundwort (1)

The Description.

            1. Herba doria. This plant hath long and large thick and fat leaves, sharp pointed, of a blueish green like unto Woad, which being broken with the hands hath a pretty spicy smell. Among these leaves riseth up a stalk of the height of a tall man, divided at the top into many other branches, whereupon grow small yellowish flowers, which turneth into down that flieth away with the wind. The root is thick almost like Helleborus albus.

            Of which kind there is another like the former, but that the leaves are rougher, somewhat bluntly indented at the edges and not so fat and gross.

            2. Herba doria altera. This herb grows up with a green round brittle stalk, very much chamfered, sinewed, or furrowed, about four or five foot high, full of white pith like that of Elder, and sendeth forth small branches: the leaves grow on the stalk out of order, & are smooth, sharp pointed, in shape like those of Herba doria, but much shorter & narrower, the broadest and longest seldom being above ten or eleven inches long, and scarce two inches broad, and are more finely and smally nicked or indented about the edges; their smell being nothing pleasant, but rather when together with the stalk they are broken and rubbed yield forth a smell having a small touch of the smell of Hemlock. Out of the bosoms of these leaves spring other smaller leaves or branches. The flowers are many, and grow on small branches at the tops of the stalks like those of Herba doria, but more like those of Iacobea, of a yellow colour, as well the middle button, as the small leaves that stand round about, every flower having commonly eight of those small leaves. Which being past the button turneth into down and containeth very small long seeds which fly away with the wind. The root is nothing else but an infinity of small strings which most hurtfully spread in the ground, and by their infinite increasing destroyeth and starveth other herbs that grow near it. Its natural place of growing I know not, for I had it from Mr. John Coys, and yet keep it growing in my garden. John Goodyer.

The Place.

            These plants grow naturally about the borders or brinks of rivers near to Narbonne in France, from whence they were brought into England, and are contented to be made denizens in my garden, where they flourish to the height aforesaid.

The Time.

            They flowered in my garden about the twelfth of June.

The Nature.

            The roots are sweet in smell, and hot in the third degree.

The Virtues.

            A. Two drams of the roots of Herba doria boiled in wine and given to drink, draweth down waterish humours, and provoketh urine.

            B. The same is with good success used in medicines that expel poison.

            All these Plants mentioned in the three last chapters, to wit, Solidago, Virga aurea and this Herba doria, are by Bauhin fitly comprehended under the title of Virga aurea; because they are much alike in shape, and for that they are all of the same faculty in medicine.