Gerard's Herbal - CHAP. 129. Of Willow-Herb, or Loosestrife.


Fig. 721. Yellow Willow-Herb (1)	Fig. 722. Small Yellow Willow-Herb (2)

The Description.

1. The first kind of Willow-Herb hath long and narrow leaves of a grayish green colour, in shape like the Willow or Sallow leaves, standing three or four one against another at several diftances round about the stalk; which toward the top divideth itself into many other branches, on the tops whereof grow tufts of fair yellow flowers, consisting of five leaves apiece, without smell: which being past there cometh forth seed like Coriander. The root is long and slender.

2. This lesser of Clusius his description hath a stalk a cubit high, and sometimes higher, firm, hard, and downy; about which at certain distances grow commonly four leaves together, yet sometimes but three, and they are soft and somewhat downy, lesser than those of the former, being first of an acid taste, and then of an acrid; and they are usually marked on their lower sides with black spots. About the top of the stalk, out of the bosoms of each leaf come forth little branches bearing some few flowers, or else footstalks carrying single flowers, which is more usual towards the top of the stalk. The flowers are yellow, with somewhat a strong smell, consisting of five sharp pointed yellow leaves, with so many yellow threads in their middle. The root is jointed, or creeping here and there, putting up new shoots.


Fig. 723. Yellow Willow-Herb with Bunched Flowers (3)	Fig. 724. Tree Primrose (4)

3. This also may fitly be referred to the former. The stalk is a cubit high, straight, and as it were jointed, naked oft times below by the falling away of the leaves; but from the middle to the top set with two leaves at a joint, like those of the former; and out of their bosoms on short stalks grow round tufts of small yellow flowers as in bunches: the root which creeps sends forth many small fibres at each joint. This was set forth by Lobel under the title of Lysimachia lutea altera, or Lysimachia salicaria: Dodonæus hath it by the name of Lysimachium aquatile: and Clusius calls it Lysimachia lutea tertia, sive minor.

4. This Virginian hath been described and figured only by Prosper Alpinus, under the title of Hyoscyamus virginianus: and by Mr. Parkinson, by the name of Lysimachia lutea siliquosa virginiana: also Bauhin in the Appendix of his Pinax hath a large description thereof, by the name of Lysimachia lutea corniculata. The root hereof is longish, white, about the thickness of one's thumb, from whence grows up a tall stalk divided into many branches of an overworn colour, and a little hairy: the leaves are like those of the former, but somewhat sinuated alongst their edges, and having their middle vein of a whitish colour: toward the tops of the branches amongst the leaves come up pretty thick cods, which growing smaller on their tops sustain pretty large yellow flowers consisting of four leaves, with a pistil in the middle upon which stand four yellowish thrums in fashion of a cross; and there are also eight threads with their pointels in the middles of them. These flowers have somewhat the smell of a Primrose (whence Mr. Parkinson gave it the English name, which I have also here given you.) After the flowers are fallen, the cods grow to be some two inches long, being thicker below, and sharper at the top, and somewhat twined, which in fine open themselves into four parts to shatter their seed, which is black and small; and sown, it grows not the first year into a stalk, but sends up many large leaves lying handsomely one upon another Rose-fashion. It flowers in June, and ripens the seed in August.


Fig. 725. Spiked Willow-Herb (5)	Fig. 726. Codded Willow-Herb (6)

5. This kind of Willow-Herb in stalks and leaves is like the first, but that the leaves are longer, narrower, and greener. The flowers grow along the stalk toward the top, spike-fashion, of a fair purple colour: which being withered turn into down, which is carried away with the wind.

6. This Lysimachia hath leaves and stalks like unto the former. The flower groweth at the top of the stalk, coming out of the end of a small long cod, of a purple colour, in shape like a Stock-Gillyflower, and is called of many Filius ante Patrem (that is, The son before the father) because that the cod cometh forth first, having seeds therein, before the flower doth show itself abroad. The leaves of this are more soft, large, and hairy than any of the former: they are also snipped about the edges, and the flower is large, wherein it differs from the twelfth, hereafter described; and from the eleventh in the hairiness of the leaves, and largeness of the flowers also, as you shall find hereafter.

Fig. 727. Kinds of Willow-Herb and Loosestrife (7-10)

7. This being thought by some to be a bastard kind, is (as I do esteem it) of all the rest the most goodly and stately plant, having leaves like the greater Willow or Osier. The branches come out of the ground in great numbers, growing to the height of six foot, garnished with brave flowers of great beauty, consisting of four leaves apiece, of an orient purple colour, having some threads in the middle of a yellow colour. The cod is long like the last spoken of; and full of downy matter, which flieth away with the wind when the cod is opened.

8. This also, which is the Chamænerion of Gesner, as also his Epilobion, a Violet or flower upon a cod, may justly challenge the next place. Dodonæus calls it Pseudolysimachium purpureum minus: and it is in the Histor. Lugdun. under the name of Linaria rubra. It groweth up with stalks some foot high, set with many narrow leaves like those of Toadflax, of a grayish colour, and the stalk is parted into divers branches, which at their tops upon long cods carry purple flowers consisting of four leaves apiece. The root is long, yellowish, and woody.

9. There is another bastard Loosestrife or Willow-Herb having stalks like the other of his kind, whereon are placed long leaves snipped about the edges, in shape like the great Veronica or Herb Fluellen. The flowers grow along the stalks, spike-fashion, of a blue colour; after which succeed small cods or pouches. The root is small and fibrous: it may be called Lysimachia cœrulea, or blue Willow-Herb.

10. We have likewise another Willow-Herb that groweth near unto the banks of rivers and watercourses. This I found in a watery lane leading from the Lord Treasurer his house called Theobald's, unto the backside of his slaughter-house, and in other places, as shall be declared hereafter. Which Lobel hath called Lysimachia galericulata, or Hooded Willow-Herb. It hath many small tender stalks trailing upon the ground, beset with divers leaves somewhat snipped about the edges, of a deep green colour, like to the leaves of Scordium or Water Germander: among which are placed sundry small blue flowers fashioned like a little hood, in shape resembling those of Ale-Hoof. The root is small and fibrous, dispersing itself under the earth far abroad, whereby it greatly increaseth.


Fig. 728. Wild Willow-Herb (11)	Fig. 729. Small Purple Willow-Herb (13)

11. The Wild Willow-Herb hath frail and very brittle stalks, slender, commonly about the height of a cubit, and sometimes higher; whereupon do grow sharp pointed leaves somewhat sinpped about the edges, and set together by couples. There come forth at the first long slender cods, wherein is contained small seed, wrapped in a cottony or downy wool, which is carried away with the wind when the seed is ripe: at the end of which cometh forth a small flower of a purplish colour; whereupon it was called Filius ante Patrem, because the flower doth not appear until the cod be filled with his seed. But there is another Son before the Father, as hath been declared in the chapter of Meadow-Saffron. The root is small and thready. This differeth from the sixth only in that the leaves are less, and less hairy, and the flower is smaller.

12. The Wood Willow-Herb hath a slender stalk divided into other smaller branches, whereon are set long leaves rough and sharp pointed, of an overworn green colour. The flowers grow at the tops of the branches, consisting of four or five small leaves, of a pale purplish colour tending to whiteness: after which come long cods, wherein are little seeds wrapped in a certain white down that is carried away with the wind. The root is thready. This differs from the sixth in that it hath lesser flowers. There is also a lesser sort of this hairy Lysimachia with small flowers.

There are two more varieties of these codded Willow-Herbs; the one of which is of a middle growth, somewhat like to that which is described in the eleventh place, but less, with the leaves also snipped about the edges, smooth, and not hairy: and it may fitly be called Lysimachia siliquosa glabra media, or minor, The Lesser Smooth-Leaved Willow-Herb. The other is also smooth-leaved, but they are lesser and narrower: wherefore it may in Latin be termed, Lysimachia siliquosa glabra minor angustifolia: in English, The Lesser Smooth and Narrow-Leaved Willow-Herb.

13. This Lesser Purple Loosestrife of Clusius, hath stalks seldom exceeding the height of a cubit, they are also slender, weak and quadrangular, towards the top, divided into branches growing one against another, the leaves are less and narrower than the common purple kind, and growing by couples, unless at the top of the stalks and branches, whereas they keep no certain order; and amongst these come here and there-cornered cups containing flowers composed of six little red leaves with threads in their middles. The root is hard, woody, and not creeping, as in others of this kind, yet it endures all the year, and sends forth new shoots. It flowers in June and July, and was found by Clusius in divers wet meadows in Austria.

The Place.

1. The First Yellow Lysimachus, groweth plentifully in most meadows, especially along the meadows as you go from Lambeth to Battersea near London, and in many other places throughout England.

2, 3. The second and third I have not yet seen.

4. The fourth groweth in many gardens.

5. The fifth groweth in places of greater moisture, yea almost in the running streams and standing waters, or hard by them. It groweth under the Bishop's house wall at Lambeth, near the water of Thames, and in moist ditches in most places of England.

6. The sixth groweth near the waters (and in the waters) in all places for the most part.

7. The seventh groweth in Yorkshire in a place called the Hook, near unto a close called a cow-pasture, from whence I had these plants, which do grow in my garden very goodly to behold, for the decking up of houses and gardens.

8. The eighth I have not yet found growing.

9. The ninth grows wild in some places of this kingdom, but I have seen it only in gardens.

10. The tenth grows by the ponds' and waters' sides in Saint James his Park, in Tothill Fields and many other places.

11. The eleventh groweth hard by the Thames, as you go from a place called the Devil's Neckerchief to Redriff, near unto a stile that standeth in your way upon the Thames bank, among the planks that do hold up the same bank. It groweth also in a ditch side not far from the place of execution, called Saint Thomas' Waterings.

The other varieties of this grow in wet places, about ditches, and in woods and such like moist grounds.

The Time.

These herbs flower in June and July, and oftentimes until August.

The Names.

Lysimachia, as Dioscorides and Pliny write, took his name of a special virtue that it hath in appeasing the strife and unruliness which falleth out among oxen at the plough, if it be put about their yokes: but it rather retaineth and keepeth the name Lysimachia of King Lysimachius the son of Agathocles, the first finder out of the nature and virtues of this herb, as Pliny saith in his 25th book chap. 7, which retaineth the name of him unto this day, and was made famous by Erasistratus. Ruellius writeth, that it is called in French Cornelle and Corneola: of the Latins, Lysimachium: of Pliny, Lysimachia: of the later Writers, Salicaria: in High Dutch, Wederick; in English, Willow-Herb, or Herb Willow, and Loosestrife.

Chamænerium is called of Gesner, Epilobion; in English, Bay Willow, or Bay Yellow herb.

The names of such as I have added have been sufficiently set forth in their titles and histories.

The Nature.

The yellow Lysimachia, which is the chief and best for physic uses, is cold and dry, and very astringent.

The Virtues.

A. The juice, according to Dioscorides, is good against the bloody flux, being taken either by potion or clyster.

B. It is excellent good for green wounds, and stancheth the blood: being also put into the nostrils, it stoppeth the bleeding at the nose.

C. The smoke of the burned herb driveth away serpents, and killeth flies and gnats in a house; which Pliny speaketh of in his 25th book, chap. 8. Snakes, saith he, crawl away at the smell of Loosestrife. The same author affirmeth in his 26th book, last chap. that it dyeth hair yellow; which is not very unlike to be done by reason the flowers are yellow.

D. The others have not been experimented, wherefore until some matter worthy the noting doth offer itself unto our consideration, I will omit further to discourse hereof.

E. The juice of yellow Lysimachia taken inwardly, stoppeth all flux of blood, and the dysentery or bloody flux.

F. The juice put into the nose, stoppeth the bleeding of the same, and the bleeding of wounds, and mightily closeth and healeth them, being made into an unguent or salve.

G. The same taken in a mother suppository of wool or cotton, bound up with threads (as the manner thereof is, well known to women) stayeth the inordinate flux or overmuch flowing of women's terms.

H. It is reported, that the fume or smoke of the herb burned, doth drive away flies and gnats, and all manner of venomous beasts.

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