[trans. med.L. HEPATICA (applied to plants having liver-shaped parts or used in diseases of the liver). Cf. G. leberkraut, Du. leverkruid.] A name of various plants.

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  1.  The lichen-like plant Marchantia polymorpha; = HEPATICA 2. Sometimes called Stone Liverwort.

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a. 1100.  in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr., LXXXIV. 326. Wiþ liferadle. Nim liferwyrt & bere hi man onder cneowe.

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a. 1387.  Sinon. Barthol. (Anecd. Oxon.), 19. Epatica, liverwort.

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c. 1450.  Alphita (Anecd. Oxon.), 57. Epatica … crescit in saxis … et uidetur quasi frustula membrane inherentia … anglice, a liureuurt.

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1533.  Elyot, Cast. Helthe (1541), 9 b. Thynges good for the Lyver: Lyverworte.

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1538.  Turner, Libellus, Lyverwort, Lichen. Ibid. (1562), Herbal, II. 36. Liuerwurt sodden in wine is good for the diseases of the liuer and longes.

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1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, III. lxx. 411. Stone Liuerwort spreadeth it selfe abroade vpon the ground, hauing wrinckled, or crimpled leaues layde one vpon another as the scales of fishe.

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1718.  Quincy, Compl. Disp., 130. Liver-wort grows near Springs, Wells, and Watry Places, very low, almost like a Moss.

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1858.  Lewes, Sea-side Studies, 74. Springs, glossy with liverwort and feathery with fern.

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1867.  J. Hogg, Microsc., II. i. 308. The little group of Hepaticae or Liverworts which is intermediate between Lichens and Mosses.

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1875.  Bennett & Dyer, trans. Sachs’ Bot., 185. The two flat sides of the gemmæ of this liverwort are identical.

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  2.  Anemone (Hepatica) triloba; = HEPATICA 1. Formerly called Noble Liverwort, Three-leaf Liverwort. (The name in U.S. is liver-leaf.)

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1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, I. xl. 59. [It] maye be called in English Hepatica, Noble Agrimonie, or Three leafe Lyuerwurte. Ibid. The Hepatica or Noble Lyverwurte is a souveraigne medicine against the heate … of the Lyver.

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1629.  Parkinson, Parad., xxix. 226. In English you may call them either Hepatica, after the Latine name, as most doe, or Noble Liuerwort.

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1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., II. vi. 101. Herba Trinitatis … obtaineth that name onely from the figure of its leaves, and is one kinde of liverworte or Hepatica.

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  † 3.  Agrimony, Agrimonia Eupatoria. Obs.

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1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, I. xxxix. 57. In Latine Eupatorium,… in base Almaigne Agrimonie, and of some Leuercruyt, that is to say, Liuerwurte.

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1617.  Minsheu, Ductor, 9. Agrimony,… called also Liuer-wort because it is good for the liuer.

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  4.  With qualification: Ground Liverwort, Peltidea canina; Marsh Liverwort, the genus Riccia; Water Liverwort, Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus aquatilis; White Liverwort, Parnassus Grass, Parnassia palustris; Wood Liverwort, the lichen Sticta pulmonacea.

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1597.  Gerarde, Herbal, II. ccxciv. 692. Parnassus Grasse or white Liuerwoort. Ibid., III. clviii. 1375. Hepatica terrestris, Ground Liuerwort. Ibid., clix. 1377. Lungwoort, or woode Liuerwoort.

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1736.  Bailey, Houshold Dict., 296. Lichen cinereus terrestris,… Ash coloured Ground Liverwort.

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1760.  J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 317. Liver-wort, Marsh, Riccia.

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1866.  Treas. Bot., 858/1. Peltidea, a genus of lichens the species of which are vulgarly confounded with Marchantia under the name of liverwort. The herbalists, however, distinguish them as Ground Liverwort.

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