Of Rupture woort.
The description.
There is also a kinde of Knot grasse commonly called in Latin Herniaria: in English Rupture woort, or Rupture grasse. It is a base and lowe creeping herbe, hauing many small slender braunches trailing upon the grounde, yet very tough and full of little knots somewhat reddish, whereupon do growe very small leaues like those of Time; among which come foorth little yellowish flowers which turne into very small seede, & great quantitie thereof, considering the smallnesse of the plant, growing thicke clustering togither by certaine spaces. The whole plant is of a yellowish greene colour. The roote is very slender and single. There is another kinde of Herniaria, called Mille grana, or all seed, that groweth upright a handfull high, with manie small and tender braunches, set with leaues like the former, but few in number, hauing as it were two small leaues and no more. The whole plant seemeth as it were couered ouer with seedes or graines, like the seedes of Panicke, but much lesser.
The place.
It ioyeth in barren and sandie grounds, and is likewise founde in dankish places that lie wide open to the sunne, it doth growe and prosper in my garden exceedingly.
The time.
It flowreth and flourisheth in Maie, June, Julie, and August.
The names.
It is called of the latter Herbaristes Herniaria, and Herniola: taken from the effect in curing the disease Hernia: of diuers Herba Turca, and Empetron: in French Boutonet: in English Rupture woort, and Burstwoort.
The temperature.
Rupture woort doth notably drie, and throughly closeth vp togither and fastneth.
The vertues.
It is reported, that being drunke it is singular good for ruptures, and that very many that haue beene bursten, were restored to health by the vse of this herbe: also the powder heereof taken with wine, doth make a man to pisse that hath his water stopt, and that it wasteth awaie the stones in the kidneies, and expelleth them.
Text in Gerard's own spelling (the long s is printed as s), transcribed by the Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). A chapter may run onto pages not yet transcribed. Gerard wrote within Galenic medicine; nothing here is advice.