The Names.
Some doe call them Thaliotrum, and some Thalictrum. Others Ruta palustris, and Ruta pratensis, and some Rhabarbarum Monachorum, or Pseudo-rhabarbarum, by reason that the rootes being yellow, haue an opening qualitie, and drying as Rubarbe. In English what other fit Names to giue these then I haue expressed in the titles, I know not.
The Vertues.
They are a little hot and drying withall, good for old Vlcers, as Dioscorides saith, to bring them to cicatrising: in Italy they are vsed against the Plague, and in Saxonye against the Iaundise, as Camerarius saith.
Chap. XLVIII.
Radix caua. Hollow roote.
The likenesse of the leaues likewise of this plant with Colombines, hath caused mee to insert it next the other, and although some of this kinde bee of small respect, being accounted but foolish, yet let it fill vp a waste corner, that so no place be vnfurnished.
1. Radix Caua maior flore albo. The white Hollow roote.
The leaues of this hollow roote breake not out of the ground, vntill the end of March, or seldome before, and are both for proportion and colour somewhat like vnto the leaues of Colombines, diuided into fiue parts, indented about the edges, standing on small long footestalkes of a whitish greene colour, among which rise vp the stalkes, without any leaues from the bottome to the middle, where the flowers shoote forth one aboue another, with euery one a small short leafe at the foote thereof, which are long and hollow, with a spurre behinde it, somewhat like vnto the flowers of Larckes spurres, but hauing their bellies somewhat bigger, and the mouth not so open, being all of a pure white colour: after the flowers are past, arise small long and round cods, wherein are contained round blackish seede: the roote is round and great, of a yellowish browne colour on the outside, and more yellow within, and hollow vnderneath, so that it seemeth but a shell: yet being broken, euery part will grow: it abideth greene aboue ground but a small time.