Gerard's Herbal - Part 3
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| Fig. 913. Great Chickweed (1) |
Fig. 914. Small Chickweed (2) |
The Description.
1. The great Chickweed riseth up with stalks a cubit high, and sometime higher, a great many from one root, long and round, slender, full of joints, with a couple of leaves growing out of every knot or joint above an inch broad, and longer than the leaves of Pellitory Of The Wall, whereunto they are very like in shape, but smooth without hairs or down, and of a light green colour: the stalks are something clear, and as it were transparent or through-shining, and about the joints they be oftentimes of a very light red colour, as be those of Pellitory Of The Wall: the flowers be whitish on the top of the branches, like the flowers of Stitchwort, but yet lesser: in whose places succeed long knops, but not great, wherein the seed is contained. The root consisteth of fine little strings like hairs.
2. The second Chickweed for the most part lieth upon the ground: the stalks are small, slender, long, and round, and also jointed: from which slender branches do spring leaves resembling the precedent, but much lesser, as is likewise the whole herb, which in no respect attaineth to the greatness of the same: the flowers are in like sort little and white: the knops or seed-heads are like the former: the root is also full of little strings.
Fig. 915. Kinds of Chickweed (3-6)
3. The third is like the second, but far lesser: the stalks be most tender and fine: the leaves are very small, the flowers very little, the root marvellous slender.
4. Also there is a fourth kind which groweth by the sea: this is like to the second, but the stems are thicker, shorter, and fuller of joints: the leaves in like sort be thicker: the knops or seed-heads be not long and round, but somewhat broad, in which are three or four seeds contained.
5. The upright Chickweed hath a very small single thready root, from which riseth up a slender stem, dividing itself into divers branches even from the bottom to the top; whereon do grow small leaves, thick and fat in respect of the others, in shape like those of Rue or Herb-Grace. The flowers grow at the top of the branches, consisting of four small leaves of a blue colour.
6. The Stone Chickweed is one of the common Chickweeds, having very thready branches covering the ground far abroad where it groweth: the leaves be set together by couples: the flowers be small and very white: the root is tough and very slender.
Fig. 916. Kinds of Chickweed (7-10)
7. Speedwell Chickweed hath a little tender stalk, from which come divers small arms or branches as it were wings, set together by couples; whereon do grow leaves set likewise by couples, like those of Veronica, or Herb Fluellen, whereof it took his name. The flowers grow along the branches of a blue colour; after which come little pouches wherein is the seed: the root is small, and likewise thready. This in the Historia Lugdunensis is called Elatine polyschides: and Fabius Columna judgeth it to be the Alysson of Dioscorides.
8. There is a kind of Chickweed growing in the brinks and borders of wells, fountains, & shallow springs, having many thready roots from which rise up divers tender stalks, whereupon do grow long narrow leaves; from the bosoms of which come forth divers smaller leaves of a bright green colour. The flowers grow at the top of the stalks, small, and white of colour.
9. There is likewise another water Chickweed smaller than the last described, having for his root a thick hassock or tuft of thready strings: from which rise up very many tender stems, stretching or trailing along the stream; whereon do grow long leaves set upon a middle rib, like those of Lentils or wild Vetch: the flowers and seeds are like the precedent, but much smaller.
10. There grows in the marsh or waterish grounds another sort of Chickweed, not much unlike the rest of the stock or kindred of Chickweeds. It hath a long root of the bigness of a wheat straw, with divers strings hanging thereat, very like the root of Couch-grass: from the which riseth up divers upright slender stalks, set with pretty large sharp pointed leaves standing by couples at certain distances: on the top of the stalks grow small white flowers like those of Stitchwort, but lesser, and of a white colour.
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| Fig. 917. Water Purslane (11) & Creeping Water Chickweed (12) |
Fig. 918. Berry-bearing Chickweed (13) |
11. To these water Chickweeds may fitly be added those two which I mentioned and figured in my last journal: the former of which, that I have there called Alsine aquatica foliis rotundioribus, sive Portulaca aquatica, (that is) Round-Leaved Chickweed, or Water Purslane, hath a small stringy root which sends forth divers creeping square branches, which here and there at the joints put out small fibres, and take root again: the leaves grow at the joints by couples, somewhat longish, and round at the points, resembling those of Purslane, but much smaller, and of a yellowish green colour: at the bosoms of the leaves come forth little flowers, which are succeeded by little round seed-vessels containing a small round seed. Bauhin hath set this forth by the name of Alsine palustris minor foliis oblongis.
12. The other water Chickweed, which John Bauhin hath mentioned by the name of Serpillifolia; and Casper Bauhin by the title of Alsinus palustris minor serpillifolia, hath also weak and tender creeping branches lying spread upon the ground; set with two narrow sharp pointed leaves at each joint, green above, and of a whitish colour below: at the setting on of these leaves grow small vessels parted as it were into two, with a little crest on each side, and in these is contained a very small seed. Both these may be found in watery places in July and August, as between Clapham Heath and Tooting, and between Kentish town and Hampstead.
13. This plant that Clusius and others have called Alsine repens major, and some have thought the Ciclaminus altera of Dioscorides; and Cucubalus of Pliny, may fitly be put in this rank; for it sendeth up many long weak branches like the great Chickweed, set with two leaves at a joint, bigger than those of the greatest Chickweed, yet like them in shape and colour: at the tops of the branches, out of pretty large cups come whitish green flowers, which are succeeded by berries as big as those of Juniper, at first green, but afterwards black: the seed is small and smooth: the root white, very fibrous, long and woody, and it endures for many years. It flowers most part of summer, and grows wild in sundry places of Spain and Germany, as also in Flanders and England, according to Pena and Lobel: yet I have not seen it growing but in the garden of my friend Mr. Pemble at Marylebone. The authors last mentioned affirm the berries hereof to have a poisonous faculty like as those of Dwale or Deadly Nightshade.
The Place.
Chickweeds, some grow among bushes and briars, old walls, gutters of houses, and shadowy places. The places where the rest grow are set forth in their several descriptions.
The Time.
The Chickweeds are green in winter, they flower and seed in the spring.
The Names.
Chickweed or Chickenweed is called in Greek and Latin Alsine: of some of the ancients it is called Hippia. The rest of the plants are distinguished in their several titles, with proper names which likewise setteth forth the place of their growings.
The Temperature.
Chickweed is cold and moist, and of a waterish substance and therefore it cooleth without astriction or binding, as Galen saith.
The Virtues.
A. The leaves of Chickweed boiled in water very soft, adding thereto some hog's grease, the powder of Fenugreek and Linseed, and a few roots of Marsh Mallows, and stamped to the form of cataplasm or poultice, taketh away the swellings of the legs or any other part; bringeth to suppuration or matter hot apostumes; dissolveth swellings that will not willingly yield to suppuration; easeth members that are shrunk up; comforteth wounds in sinewy parts; defendeth foul, malign and virulent ulcers from inflammation during the cure: in a word, it comforteth, digesteth, defendeth, and suppurateth very notably.
B. The leaves boiled in vinegar and salt are good against manginess of the hands and legs, if they be bathed therewith.
C. Little birds in cages (especially linnets) are refreshed with the lesser Chickweed when they loathe their meat; whereupon it was called of some Passerina.
