Blindweed. I do not know why this plant is so called. A better name would be “purse”, or “shepherd’s purse.”  [1] Tournefort has counted five species of which we will describe the main one, bursa pastoris major, folio sinuato , Institutiones rei herbariae, 216.  [2] In English it is called the great shepherd’s purse .

Its root is white, upright, fibrous, small, of a sweetish taste, which causes nausea; its stem is a cubit high, sometimes single, divided into branches that are situated alternately. Its lower leaves are sometimes whole, but most often deeply cut on both sides, and without cuts.

The flowers bloom in succession at the top of the branches; they are small, cross-shaped, or composed of four rounded white petals, and a few stamens surmounted with yellow peaks: their calyx is also divided into four parts; the pistil is transformed into a flattened fruit, three lines long [i.e. ¼ inch], heart-shaped and like a small wide purse. It is divided into two sections by a partition, to which panels are attached on each side; these sections contain very small seeds, tan or russet in color.

This plant grows among old ruins, along paths, in uncultivated areas, and in wilderness areas. It is a multipurpose plant; it has vulnerary, astringent, and refreshing properties, specifically for the treatment of blood-related illnesses. For these reasons, it is prescribed for diarrhea, dysentery, and hematuria; the juice is applied to fresh wounds to constrict the blood vessels and prevent inflammation.

1. In fact, this is another common name for this plant in English; other common names are caseweed and toywort. The French name, tabouret translates literally as “stool.”

2. Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1656 – 1708, Paris): French botanist.