64 POLYGALA. No. 75. 



shorter ; onlj six stamina in two fascicles of three. Pis- 

 tils and seeds as described in Trlclisperma- 



HISTORY. A pretty little plant, found commonly 

 in granitic hills, from New England to Carolina, chiefly 

 in the Blue mountains j rare in the Alleghany or Secan- 

 dary mountains. It blossoms in the spring- Many va- 

 rieties : 1. j9pogonia, nearly beardless, probably the P. 

 nniflora of Mx. 2. Procumbens. 3. Heterantha. Sur- 

 'culi with apterous flowers. 4- Quadriflora. 5. Mhi- 



fiora^ &c. 



The genus Polygala is a cahoS, rather a family than 

 a genus^; the Heistcria^ abolished by L. must be restor- 

 ed. The stamina are far from being always eight, as 

 stated by L. I ascertained as early as 1803, that this 

 plant was hardly a Polygala, except in habit, the arilla 

 and stamina being the chief differences, and I established 

 the genus TricUsperma in 1314, which must be a sub- 

 genus at least. 



PROPERTIES. The whole plant, but chiefly the 

 root, has a sweet pungent taste, and somewhat the smell 

 of Gautiera. Its properties are similar to it, and to Po- 

 lygala senega. It is stimulant, sudorific, restorative, 

 &c. It may be used in tea or decoction : being milder 

 than either; it may be Tery useful when the Senega 

 would be too stimulant, and it may perhaps answer all 

 its effects in asthma, rheumatism, dropsy, &c. It must 

 contain the Gautiera oil, but it has not been distilled 

 from it as jQt, 



Several North American species of Polygala are me- 

 dical ; such as P. senega, P* rubella^ P. sangiiinea, &c. 

 The first is the common oflicinal Senega Snake-rooty 

 well known in materia medica, and kept in all the shops. 

 It is stimulant, diuretic, sialagogue, expectorant, sudo- 



menasroo-ue 



emetic. It was first brought to notice in 1785, as a 

 cure for rattle snake bites, among the Senekas. Many 

 physicians have since investigated its properties, and 

 u:^ed it iu dropsies, ascites, croup, typhus, with pneumonic 

 symptoms, peripneumonia, rheumatism, lethargy, pleuri- 

 tis, gout, marasm, asthma, &c. The Indians use it besides 

 snake bites, for syphilis and malignant sorethroat. The 

 powder, decoction, tincture, wine, and svrun are em- 



