359.  LEONURUS Cardiaca.  Motherwort.  The Leaves.—­These have a bitter taste, and a pretty strong smell:  they are supposed to be useful in hysteric disorders, to strengthen the stomach, to promote urine; and indeed it may be judged from their smell and taste, that their medical virtues are considerable, though they are now rejected both from the London and Edinburgh Pharmacopoeias.

360.  Lilium candidum.  White Lily.  The Roots.—­These are used in poultices.  The good housewife doctors cut the roots in slices and steep them in brandy; and they are said to be an excellent remedy for all bruises and green wounds:  for which purposes it is applied by them with considerable effect.

361.  LITHOSPERMUM officinale.  Gromwell.  The Seeds.—­These are roundish, hard, and of a whitish colour, like little pearls.  Powdered, they have been supposed peculiarly serviceable in calculous disorders.  Their taste is merely farinaceous.

362.  Lysimachia Nummularia.  Moneywort, or herb twopence.  The Leaves.—­ Their taste is subastringent, and very slightly acid:  hence they stand recommended by Boerhaave in the hot scurvy, and in uterine and other haemorrhagies.  But their effects are so inconsiderable, that common practice takes no notice of them.

363.  Malva alcea.  Vervain-mallow.  The Leaves.—­Alcea agrees in quality with the Althaea and Malva vulgaris; but appears to be less mucilaginous than either.

364.  Matricaria Parthenium.  Common wild feverfew.  The Leaves and Flowers.—­Simon Pauli relates, that he has experienced most happy effects from it in obstructions of the uterine evacuations.  I have often seen, says he, from the use of a decoction of Matricaria and chamomile flowers with a little mugwort, hysteric complaints instantly relieved, and the patient from a lethargic state, returned as it were into life again.  Matricaria is likewise recommended in sundry other disorders, as a warm stimulating bitter:  all that bitters and carminatives can do, says Geoffroy, may be expected from this.  It is undoubtedly a medicine of some use in these cases, though not perhaps equal to chamomile flowers alone, with which the Matricaria agrees in sensible qualities, except in being weaker.

365.  Nepeta Calamintha.  Field calamint.  The Leaves.—­This is a low plant, growing wild about hedges and highways, and in dry sandy soils.  The leaves have a quick warm taste, and smell strongly of pennyroyal:  as medicines, they differ little otherwise from spearmint, than in being somewhat hotter, and of a less pleasant odour; which last circumstance has procured calamint the preference in hysteric cases.

366.  Nepeta cataria.  NEP, or catmint.  The Leaves.—­This is a moderately aromatic plant, of a strong smell, not ill resembling a mixture of mint and pennyroyal; it is also recommended in hysteric cases.