RUSCUS, KNEE-HOLLY, or Butcher's Broom; a
genus of the syngenesia order, belonging to the dioecia
class of plants. The most remarkable species is the
aculeatus, or common butcher's broom, common in the
woods in many parts of England. It has roots com-
posed of many thick fibres which twine about each
other; from which arise several stiff green stalks about
three feet high, sending out from their sides several
short branches, garnished with stiff, oval, heart-shaped
leaves, placed alternately on every part of the stalk, end-
ing with sharp prickly points. The flowers are produ-
ced in the middle, on the upper side of the leaves; they
are small, and cut into six parts; of a purple colour,
fitting close to the midrib. They appear in June; and
the female flowers are succeeded by berries as large as
cherries, of a sweetish taste, which ripen in winter;
when they are of a beautiful red colour. As this plant
grows wild in most parts of England, it is rarely ad-
mitted into gardens; but if some of the roots are plant-
ed under tall trees in large plantations, they will spread
into large clumps; and as they retain their leaves in
winter, at that season they will have a good effect. The
seeds of this plant generally lie a year in the ground
before they vegetate; and the plants so raised are long
before they arrive to a size big enough to make any fig-
ure, and therefore it is much better to transplant the
roots.—The root of this plant is accounted aperient,
and in this intention is sometimes made an ingredient
in apozems and diet-drinks, for opening slight obstruc-
tions of the viscera, and promoting the fluid secretions.
This plant is used by the butchers for besoms to sweep
their blocks. Hucksters place the boughs round their
bacon and cheese to defend them from the mice; for
they cannot make their way thro' the prickly leaves.