Eupatorium perfoliatum. 129 
left to conjecture, that the plant derived the name of bone-set from 
the relief it afforded in a certain “ singular catarrh or species of influ- 
enza,’’ which prevailed about thirty years ago, and was denominated 
break-bone-fever. We are satisfied the Professor would find it ex. 
tremely difficult to shew by any printed testimony, that the medici- 
nal powers of Eupatorium perfoliatum were generally known even 
twenty, much less thirty years ago, or that the vulgar name, bone- 
set, is of earlier origin than fifteen years back. 
The root is perennial, somewhat horizontal. The stems erect, 
from two to four feet high, round, very hairy, (hair flexuose,) and di- 
vided towards the top into decussating branches, so as to form when 
in flower, a flat dense fastigiate corymb. The stem is generally 
greyish-green, but often purplish towards the base. The leaves de- 
cussate each other at regular distances; are perfoliate, or perhaps 
connate, broadest at their base or point of union with the stem, and 
taper gradually into a long acumination. They are serrate, very ru- 
gose or wrinkled, closely beset with hairs of a grey colour, which, 
together with those wherewith the stem, and indeed nearly the whole 
plant is covered, give it a greyish-green aspect. The under surface 
of the leaves is paler than the upper, and both woolly. The two or 
three upper pairs of leaves on the stems, and all those on the 
branches, are given off in pairs, and lose the perfoliate or connate 
character, being there merely sessile. Flowers terminal, white, sup- 
ported on short hairy peduncles, in close fastigiate corymbs. Calix 
