SILVERWEED  POTENTILLA ANSERINA This plant is of the nature of tansy and deserves to be universally known in medicine. A perennial plant with a large stringy root, yellowish-green winged leaves divided into several deeply serrated segments opposite one another. The flowers are a beautiful shining yellow like large Buttercups and are on long slender stalks. Where to find it. Common by roadsides, fields and dunes. Flowering time: Late spring to late summer. Astrology: Under Venus. Medicinal virtues: The leaves are mildly astringent. Dried and given as a powder they cure agues and intermittent diseases. The usual dose is a tablespoonful every three or four hours. The roots are more astringent than the leaves, and are given in powder a scruple at a time, or more in obstinate purgings attended with bloody stools and immoderate menses. An infusion of the leaves stops the piles bleeding. Sweetened with a little honey, it is an excellent gargle for sore throats. Modern uses: The plant is astringent, due to its tannin content. The infusion is taken internally and used as a lotion for piles. It is also anti-spasmodic and will relieve cramps in the stomach or abdomen. Looseness of the bowel is checked. Homoeopaths prescribe it for painful periods and inflammation of the stomach.