No. 75. POLYGALA. 63 



tive oil may be distilled from it ; but it is not yet in 

 use. It is a popular remedy in some parts of Ohio and 

 Canada j but I am not prepared to state whether it may 

 be equally sure as the worm seed- We want experi- 

 ments on it ; I do not believe that it is narcotic, except 

 in a very harmless degree, although W. Barton states 

 that it is a deleterious active plant : his observations 

 have never been published- By its smell, it appears to 

 have similar properties with the Erigeron graveoiens of 

 Europe, and thus it maybe diuretic and antispasmodic. 



^ 



No. 75. POLYGALA PAUCIFOLIA. 



4. 



Names. Dwarf Milkwort. Fr. Polygale naine. Vul- 

 gar. Little Pollom, Evergreen Snakeroot, 



Classif, Nat. Order Polygalides. Diadelphia, L. 



Genus Polygala- Calyx persistent, five parted, une- 

 qual. Corolla monopetalous, unequal, six to twelve 

 stamens on the corolla, divided in two equal fascides. 

 One pistil- Capsule two celled, two valved. 



Subgenus Triclispekma. Raf- 1814- Corolla three 

 parted, two segments like wings, one semi-tubular cari- 

 niform, base nectariform, top fimbriate. Six stamina. 

 Style clavate, stigma bilabiate truncate. Seeds covered 

 with a trivalve arilla, not pubescent- 



Sp. Polygala paticifolia. Mx- or Tridisperma grandi- 

 flora, Raf- 1814. Creeping, stems surculose, assurgent, 

 leaves few, terminal, sessile, ovate acute, glaucous cl* 

 liate : flowers one to four terminal, 



DESCRIPTION. Root perennial, creeping, jrellow, 

 terete. Stems procumbent at the base, naked, with one 

 or twosurculi, with abortive small leaves, and sometimes 

 flowers J top of the stem assurgent, erect, three to six 

 inches hio;h, simple, smooth, terete, with three to five 

 leaves at tlie end, fasciculated alternate, ovate acute at 

 both ends, entire and smooth, unlner\'e, glaucous, mi- 

 nutely ciliate on the margin- Flowers terminal, one to 

 four, mixed with the leaves, large, red, handsome, but 

 scentless, pedunculated ; wings large oval acute, keel 



