No. 63. . MENYANTHES. 33 



9, M. pyrmnidata. Large tree, not evergreen, leaves 

 obovate, base sagittate, green beneath, petals and cones 

 oblong. 



EROPERTIES. The medical parts in the order 

 of their strength, are the bark of the root, bark of 

 the trees, the cones, buds, and leaves- Thej contain 

 a bitter extract, resin, and camphor. The taste is bitter 

 aromatic, without hardlj any astringencj. The smell 

 is pleasant, somewhat similar to Laurus^ Acorus^ and 

 Benzoin^ fugacious, and soon lost in the dried bark: 

 chieflj tonic, stimulant, diaphoretic, and stomachic. All - 

 the kmds may be used, and are equal to Liriodendron, 

 CascariUa, Cornus, &c. Extensively employed in the 

 South and by the Indians in fevers ancl rheumatism^ 

 The tincture of the fresh bark and cones is one of the 

 best preparations: it avails in intermittents of an atonic 

 nature, equally to cinchona: also in typhoid fevers, but 

 above all in chronic rheumatism. The cones infused in 

 spirituous liquors are a popular stomachic, and prophy- 

 lactic against fevers. The powdered bark may be given 

 in doses of a drachm four or five times a day, or in de- 



coQiiGns^and4nfasionsj it may be united to the snake 

 roots with advantage. Their use is improper in all in- 

 flammatory fevers, and the abuse of their tinctures is 

 hurtful. The bark and cones ought to be collected and 

 become an article of trade. The Liriodendron bark is 

 often substituted as less stimulant. They arc equiva- 

 lent; the M^^olia is preferable in great debility, ner- 

 vous and rheumatismal atony. 



■f 



No. 63. MENYANTHES VERNA. 



^ 



Names. American Buckbean. Fr. Menyanthe trefle 

 d'eau. Vulgar. Marsh Trefoil, Water Shamrock, 

 Bitter Root. / 



Classify Nat. Order of Gantianides. Pentandria mo- 



nogynia L. 



Genus MENVANnrHES. Calix five parted, persistent, 



corolla five cleft, with a short tube, segments fringed 



above, five stamens, shorter than the corolla, one style, 



