102 dEPHAXANTHtJrS. No. 2o 



X 



f 



Var. obtiisifoliay leaves oval-oblongs obtuse^ not 

 undulate : in New York. 



They all blossom in summer, July and August: 



the flowers have a peculiar fragrant smell, similar to 

 Jessamine. The wood is brittle and useless. 



The Genus belongs to the great natural order of 

 RuBiACEOus, forming with Nauclea^ &c. a peculiar 

 section or family, with capitate flowers. It ranks in 

 Tetrandria Monogynia. 



Qualities — The whole shrub active^ and bitter- 

 ish, the bitterness is most enfolded in the bark of the 

 roots : this bark and the inner bark of the stem are 

 brittle, somewhat resembling CascariIJa and Dog- 

 wood, in appearance and qualities. It has not been 

 analyzed ; but contains an essential oil, besides the 

 usual principles of tonic barks : the oil is most abun- 

 dant in the flowers. 



PROPERTIES— Tonic, febrifuge, cathartic, dia- 

 phoretic, &c. The flowers, leaves, bark of stems and 

 roots, are used by the Southern Indians, and the 

 French settlers of Louisiana. It has not yet been 

 noticed in our materia medica, and is even omitted by 

 Schoepf and Henry j but it deserves further atten- 

 tion. A fine fragrant syrup may be made with tlie 

 Cowers and leaves, which is a mild tonic and laxative. 

 The most efficient part is the bark of the root. A decoc- 

 tion of it, cures intermittent fevers, acting on the bow- 

 els at the same time, is useful in relaxed bowels, &c. 



Substitutes— Cor*i?/5 or Dogwood — Magmlias 



Pinchneya—IJrio lendroa—CasmrUla, &c. 



Remarks— The Platonus occidentaUs or Syca- 

 »nore, also called Button-wood is a lar-e tree. 



