

52 PANAX. No. n. 



V 



to a little sulphur. Thej are useful in scurvy, sores, 

 and ulcers, cutaneous eruptions, diarrhoea, putrid and 

 inflammatory disorders, &c. They have also been used 

 in itch, wens, ring-worms, and even cancer. The juice 

 or decoction is used externally and internally. Chiefly 

 good in scorbutic affections, and equivalent of Oxah's in 

 other respects. 



No, 71. PANAX QUINQUEFOLIUM. 



Names. American Ginseng. Fr. Ginseng d'Ame- 

 rique. Vulgar* Ginseng-root, NInsin, Garantogen, Red- 

 berry, Five-fingers, Gensang. 



Classif. NatOrd. Araliacea- Pentandria dig}^nia L. 



Genus Panax. Calyx superior five toothed. Corolla of 

 five petals. Stamens five. Styles twoj berry two seeded; 

 some flowers only staminate, or with one or three styles 

 and seeds. 



Sp. Panax quinquefolhim. Root fusiform, wrinkled ; 

 stem with three verticillate leaves, digitate with five un- 

 equal petiolate folioles, umbel central pedunculate. 

 Many varieties, 



1. Var. Americanum, Raf. or Cvneatum^ (figured 

 here.) Three large folioles, cuneiform or oblong obovate, 

 acuminate, equally serrate, two at the base much small- 

 er, ovate, acuminate, sometimes missing; flowers white- 

 In North America, in the Western States. 



2. Var. Obovatum. Raf. (figured by Barton fi^- 45.) 

 Three large folioles, obovate, acuminate, unequally and 

 duplicate serrate, two smaller folioles, ovate or missing; 

 flowers white. In North America, in the Atlantic States. 



3. Var. Asiaticiim, Raf. or Ovatum. (figured by Du- 

 halde, &c.) Folioles nearly equal, all oval lanceolate, 

 acute, serrulate; flovv^ers purplish. In Central and 

 Eastern Asia, in Manchuria, Corea, &c- 



DESCRIPTION of the variety Amerkanum. Root 

 P^renmal, fleshy, yellowish white, fusiform, wrinkled 

 transversely, often forked, sometimes fasciculated in 

 two or three spindles, ending in thick fibres, from two 

 ^o s^x mches loag. Stem one or two feet high, simple, 

 erect, rouad, smooth, divided into three petioles, and a 



