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Images

  • A plant (a species of Crassulaceae): entire flowering plant. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1772.
  • Rhodiola rosea L. Crassulaceae Golden root, roseroot Distribution: Arctic, Eastern North America, mountains of central Asia. Herbalists regard it as having curative properties for diseases as diverse as cancer, influenza, depression and other conditions. It has not been licensed for use in manufactured herbal medicines in the UK. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Sempervivum tectorum L. Crassulaceae Houseleek, Senegreene Distribution: Europe. Sempervivum means 'live forever', tectorum means 'roof', and was apparently grown on house roofs to protect against lightning. Lyte (1578 distinguishes Stonecrops (Sedum) from Sengreene (Sempervivum) for he advises the Sempervivum, alone or mixed with barley meal, applied topically to burns, scalds, St Anthony's fire [erysipelas], ulcers and sores, will cure them and sore eyes. Apropos of stonecrops (Sedum), he describes the redness and blistering that the sap has on bare skin, and how it is good for poisons for if taken with vinegar by mouth it causes vomiting, but only safe to do so in strong people. He seems fairly confused as to which is which. Not approved by the European Medicines Agency for Traditional Herbal Medicinal use. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • Sempervivum tectorum L. Crassulaceae Houseleek, Senegreene Distribution: Europe. Sempervivum means 'live forever', tectorum means 'roof', and was apparently grown on house roofs to protect against lightning. Lyte (1578 distinguishes Stonecrops (Sedum) from Sengreene (Sempervivum) for he advises the latter, alone or mixed with barley meal, applied topically to burns, scalds, St Anthony's fire [erysipelas] , ulcers and sores, will cure them and sore eyes. Apropos of stonecrops (Sedum), he describes the redness and blistering that the sap has on bare skin, and how it is good for poisons for if taken with vinegar by mouth it causes vomiting, but only safe to do so in strong people. He seems fairly confused as to which is which. Not approved by the European Medicines Agency for Traditional Herbal Medicinal use. Photographed in the Medicinal Garden of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
  • A plant (Cotyledon africana): flowering stem, with coat of arms of the dedicatee. Colour mezzotint by E. Kirkall, c.1728, after J. van Huysum.
  • A plant (Umbilicus sp.): entire flowering plant. Coloured etching by M. Bouchard, 1772.
  • A stonecrop plant (Sedum cepaea): flowering stem. Coloured engraving by S. Watts, c. 1831, after M. Hart.
  • A houseleek (Sempervivum arachnoideum): flowering plant. Coloured engraving, c. 1788.
  • Stonecrop (Sedum glaucum): flowering plant and floral segments. Coloured engraving after J. Sowerby, 1812.
  • Stonecrop (Sedum dasyphyllum): flowering plant and floral segments. Coloured engraving after J. Sowerby, 1799.

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