c. Lappa major montana, capitulis minoribus, rotundioribus & magis tomentpjis.
6. Lappa major ex omni parte minor, capitulis parvis tleganter reticulatis.
Lappa vulgaris major capitulis folio/is. V a r . . . . ,
A l l th e ft are h ow e v e r . coufidered by, the botanifts o f the prefent d a y as one fpecies, to w h ich may be added J
v ariety w ith w h ite flowers, w h ich o ften occurs.
T h e Burdock is a v ery common plant b y w a y (ides, and in w a fte places, and flowers in J u ly and Auguft. I
In the fize o f its leaves it ma y fometimes difptite th e palm w ith the B u t te rb u r r ; painters often introduce t liJ
in the foregrounds o f their piftures, w h ich th e y are admirably w e ll calculated to embellilh.
N o fort o f ca ttle relilh the foliage o f this plant, but fnails, Hugs, and many fpecies o f caterpillars feed on il
delicioufly • th e p ith produces its particular mo th , w h ich does no t appear to be defcribed b y L i j s j i u i , but ij!
m o ll ac curately figured b y Sepp*, and called b y Aurelians th e Mottled Orange, the caterpillar of this inathi
changes in to chryfalis about the beginning o f A u g u ft , during w h ich m o nth it m a y be found in that ftate by
fp lit tin g th e ftalks o f fu ch plants as appear Hinted in their g row th ; the mo th comes out about the end of Auguft,
and is one o f thofe wh o fe bodies are extremely apt to b ecome g rea fy, to prevent w h ich the body fliould be cat.]
fu lly opened on the under fide, and its contents taken o u t previous to its b eing placed in the cabinet. A fmalll
larva, not peculiar to this plant, feeds alio b etw ix t the coats o f the leaf.
The feeds, like thofe of the tbiftle tribe, are fought for by feveral of the feathered fongfters, and are trait]
Commended to fatten poultry +.
T h e microfcope informs us, vide jig. I , 2. w h y the burrs adhere fo c lo fe ly to one’ s d o a th s , and w h y boys, »U
divert themfelves b y th row in g them -at one another, hav e fo much difficu lty in extrica ting them from their h i ]
A s a w eed i t is not fo formidable as i t appears to be, being ’ a biennial th e hulbandman has only to deftroy ill
feedlings.
T h e root and ftalks are efculent and n u t r it iv e ; th e ftalk s fo r this purpofe' fhould be cut befo re the plant Bowes]
th e rind peeled off, and th e n boiled and ferved up in th e manner o f Chardoons, o r eaten raw , as a fallad, wiihl
o il and vinegar. Lightfoot FI. Scot. p. 4 4 ^*
T h e feeds hav e a bitterifli, fubacrid tafte, th e y are recommended as v e r y efficacious diuretics, given either is thl
fo rm o f emulfion or in powder to the qu antity o f a drachm. T h e roots tafte ftveetifli, w ith a flight autterrf
and b itteriflinefs; th e y are efteemed aperient, diureric and fu donfic, and laid to act w ith o u t irritation, lo as toba
fa fe ly ventured on in acute diforders. D e co d io n s o f them hav e o f late been ufed in rheumatic, gouty, and othel
diforders, and preferred b y forne to thofe o f S ar&patilla. L ewis’s Difp. p. r o i .
» Ntdcrlandfhe hfilten. t. $ f * * * . M b P- Hgj