Crab’s Claws

Called also Water Sengreen, Knight’s Pond Water, Water House-leek, Pond Weed, and Fresh-water Soldier. Descript. ] It has sundry long narrow leaves, with sharp prickles on the edges of them, also very sharp pointed; the stalks which bear flowers, seldom grow so high as the leaves, bearing a forked head, like a Crab’s Claw, out of which comes a white flower, consisting of three leaves, with divers yellowish hairy threads in the middle; it takes root in the mud at the bottom of the water. Place. ] It grows plentifully in the fens in Lincoln shire. Time. ] It flowers in June, and usually from thence till August. Government and virtues. ] It is a plant under the dominion of Venus, and therefore a great strengthener of the reins; it is excellently good for inflammation which is commonly called St. Anthony’s Fire; it a uages inflammations, and swellings in wounds: and an ointment made of it is excellently good to heal them; there is scarcely a better remedy growing than this is, for such as have bruised their kidneys, and upon that account discharge blood; a dram of the powder of the herb taken every morning, is a very good remedy to stop the terms.