48 OXYCOCA. No. 69. 



PROPERTIES. Acid, refrigerant, attenuant, anti- 

 putrid and diuretic. Useful in decoction as a coolin 

 drink in inflammatory disorders, fevers, piles, putri 

 diseases, . &c. Boiled in milk they form a good acia 

 whey, very cooling- They may also be eaten m sallad; 

 they are peculiarly useful in diseases of the kidneys, 

 bladder, and urethra, when they are inflamed and pain- 

 ful, acting as cooling diuretics. They are often substi- 

 tuted to common sorrel and sheep sorrelj but they must 

 not be eaten to excess, becau&e they contain a violent 

 poison, the oxalic acid; in small quantity, however, 

 since 100 pounds of leaves give only 30 pounds of juice, 

 and this only 10 ounces of the super oxalate of potash, 

 which is sold and used by the wrong name of Salt of 

 Lemons, for making a bad and dangerous imitation of 

 lemonade, and for taking off ink stains from linen, cloth 

 and paper. A ^ood conserve and syrup of oxalis leaves 

 were made, which are pleasant medical preparations; 

 they are now, however, superseded by currant jelly and 

 other preparations of acid fruits. 



No. 69. OXYCOCA MACROCARPA. 



Names I^arge Cranberry. Fr. Canneberge d'Ame- 

 nque. Vulgar. Common Cranberry, Mossberry, Swamp 

 Hedberry. Atoca in Canada. Sourberry. 



Classif. Natural Order of Vaccinides. Octandria 

 monogynia- L, 



Genus Oxycoca. Calyx superior four toothed. Co- 

 rolla four parted, segments revolute. Eight stamina; 

 tlaments connivent; anthers bicorne, tubular. One 



^P ]f ^^^^^ obtuse. Berry one celled many seeded. 

 ^mall Evergreens. 



^ ^p.Oxycoca macrocarpa. Creeping, branches ascend- 

 ?^; ^,^^^^^^ oblong, obtuse, spreading, petiolate, nearly 

 ^at glaucous beneath: pedicels elongated geminate, 



VaC' 



foSuT^^l'^'^^^^ Ait. V. oxycocvs, Var. Sbior^gi 





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