104 esENOPOsxuiur. no. n. 



"T 



like the whole plant, forming large^ loose leafless ter- 

 minal panicles, composed of many slender alterning 

 small spikes, and these of many small scattered une- 

 qual glomerules, containing from five to twelve sessile 

 flowers. Calix or simple perigone with five short 

 oval segments; stamina opposite to the segments, 

 and protruding. Styles bifid or trifid, filiform, lon- 

 ger than the stamina. Seed flat, lenticular, shining, 

 covered by the persistent calix. 



HISTORY— The whole plant has a strong, pun^ 

 gent smell, somewhat like valerian, which is disgust- 

 ing to many persons ; this smell is easily known and 

 enables to distinguish it from some other consimilar 

 species, which are often blended with it : such are the 

 CA. ambrosioides^^Ch, botrys^ whose smell is agree- 

 able and fragrant, although strong. 



The genus belongs to the natural order of Atripli- 

 CBs, and to Petstandria digyyiia of Linfiseus. The 

 generic name means Goosefoot in Greeks the specific 

 refers to its value against worms. 



■ It blossoms from July to Septemijer, at which time 

 the plant may be collected and dried ; but if the seeds 

 are wanted, October is the best time, although they 

 ripen in succession during all the autumn. The plant 

 is now sometimes cultivated for medical uses, both in 

 America and Europe. The dried plant retains the pe- 

 culiar smell. 



Locality — From Xew England to Missouri and 

 Georgia, more abundant and larger in the South : 

 common in old fields, along fences, in alluvions, gra- 

 vel, rubbish, and even in streets j but never in wood^ 

 nor mountains. 



