No. 54. ILLICIUM. 9 



Among the Southern species, two, spread from North 

 Carolina to Louisiana near tRe sea shore, are chiefly used 

 1. Ilex Cassine of Michaux (my Hierophyllus) wrongly 

 called L vomiioria by Lin. who gave the tiame of /• cas- 

 sena to the 2d species, or /. Sahoon of Michaux, Walter, 

 Elliot, &c. Both are evergreen shrubs, called Cassena^ 

 Yapoon^ and Dahoon by the Indians. The true Cassena 

 is reckoned a holy plant by many southern tribes, being 

 used in their religious rites and solemn councils to clear 

 tlie stomach and the head by emesis and diuresis. Wo- 

 men are forbid .to use it* It is collected with care, and 

 forms an article of trade among tribes. They often tor- 

 rify slightly the leaves before using them. They are 

 inodorous, taste subaromatic and fervid, useful in foul 

 stomach, fevers, diabetes, smallpox, &:c. as a mild emetic; 

 but the Indians' Black Drink is a strong decoction of it, 

 and a violent, although harmless vomitive. In North 

 Carolina, the inhabitants of the sea side swamps, having 

 no good water to drink, purify it by boiling it with a 

 little Cassena (perhaps Viburnum Cassinvides,) and use 

 it constantly warm, as the Chinese do their daily tea 

 drink. 



The Dahoon is used as a substitute to the Cassena, and 

 many other shrubs appear to be used indiscriminately for 

 making the Black Drink, the C«55fnc ramulosa of the Flora 

 of Louisiana for instance; which is a true Cassine of lAn* 

 Genus distinguished from Hex by five petals, threestyles, 

 and a three seeded berry- They are all powerful diure- 

 tics. 



No. 54. ILLICIUM FLORIDANUM. 



* 



Names. Florida Anisetree. /V. Badiane de la Florlde. 

 Vulgar. Staranise, Sweet Laurel. 

 Classijtcalion. Nat. Order of Magnolides. Polyandria 



polygynia L. 



Genus Ilucium. Calix 61eaved. Corolla 7 to 27 petals. 

 Many stamina^ and pistils. Capsules ranged like a star 

 around a central receptacle, bivalve, one seeded* 





