No. 58. LEONTODON. 19 



broken, bearing only one blossom, and growing in 

 length while the blossom unfolds and decays. The two 

 penanthes have lanceolate acute sepals, the outer ones 

 shorter, lax, and spreading or reflexed, the inner one 

 closely erect. Florets yellow, numerous, unequal, 

 tigular, with five teethj succeeded by black seeds, bear- 

 ing a white stipitate plumose pappus, forming a spheri- 

 cal balL 



HISTORY, This well known plant is common to 

 Europe, Asia, and America, in pastures and meadows; 

 it is spread all over the United States, and is really a 

 native, not introduced. It blossoms during the whole 

 year in succession from April to October. Although 

 deemed a weed, it is not injurious. It spreads very fast 

 by its seeds borne to a great distance by winds. Chil- 

 dren use the seed-balls for playthings, as they may be 

 blown off at a single blast, the name of Dandelion 

 derives from dent de /ion, an old French name, meanin 

 lion's tooth. The leaves were compared to lion's teet 

 by the Greeks and Romans. It affords many varieties: 

 1. Laciniata. 2. Sinuata. 3.Lanceolata. 4. Polyphylla. 



5. Uniflora. 6, Longifolia^ &c. . 



PROPERTIES. Deobstruent, diuretic, he|)atic, sub- 

 tonic, corroborant, aperient, &c. The taste is slightly 

 bitter, but not unpleasant^ the leaves and root may be 

 used. They contam a green resin, fecula, sugar, nitrate 

 of potash and of lime, acetate of lime, &c. An excel- 

 lent popular remedy for liver complaints, obstructions, 

 jaunmce, dropsy, hypochondria, &.c- The most usual 

 way is to eat the leaves in salad in the spring; they may 

 be bleached like Endive, and in the same way. The 

 juice of the leaves is also used, and their extract is very 

 eflBcient. It promotes all the secretions, and remove* 

 obstructions of the viscera and glands. It is an excel- 

 lent diet for scrofulous, dropsical, and hypochondrical 

 patients. It has been used in induration of the liver, 

 gravel, itch, impetegines, dyspepsia, and consumption. 

 In this last, it acts only as a mild deobstruent. It is 

 very good for the spleen. The milky juice of the stems 

 removes freckles of the skiu. 



