No. 76. POLYGONUM. 65 



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plojed. The taste and smell is very pungent and nau- 

 seating. A resin and the Senegine, a peculiar sub- 

 stance, are the most active constituents. Ten grains of the 

 powder is a dosej a larger one will often prove emetic* 

 It produces sometimes a plentiful evacuation by stool, 

 urine, and perspiration. It is injurious in consumption 

 and inflammatory disorders. Some compare its action 

 to calomel, and consider it a general alterative. In 

 croup, it often disengages the morbid membrane. It is 

 very beneficial in chronic rheumatism, the asthma of old 

 people, and inveterate dropsy ; small and moderate 

 doses prove good sudorifics. The P. sangiiinea has the 

 same taste and properties, being a milder equivalent j 

 but the P. rubella or poly gama^ figured by Bigelow fig. 

 54, has different properties, being bitter and tonic, al- 

 though likewise stimulant and expectorant; it appears 

 to resemble much more the P. vulgaris of Europe. 



No. 76. POLYGONUM AVICULARE. 



Names. Common Knotweed. /V. Renouee vulgaire. 

 Vulgar. Knotgrass, Bird weed. 



Classify Nat. Order of Pylygonea. Octandria tri- 

 gyniaL. 



Genus Polygonum. Perigone simple, unequal, co- 

 lored and five parted. Stamens six to eight. One pis- 

 til, two or three styles and stigmas- One seed. 



Sp. Polygonum aviculare. L. Annual, stem pro- 

 cumbent, branched, leaves lanceolate, scabrous on the 

 margin ; flowers axillary, eight stamens, three styles, 

 seed triangular striated. 



DESCRIPTION- A well known annual plant, very 

 variable, procumbent or erect, diffuse, with many slen- 

 der branches, leaves narrow lanceolate, sessile, acute at 

 both ends, with nervose and membraneceous stipules- 

 One to three axillary flowers on short peduncles, white 

 or redish. Perigone persistent, with five unequal obtuse 

 segments, &c. The varieties are ; 1. Proatratum. 2. 

 Erectum. 3. Diffuaum. 4. Rubmnu 6. ParvifoUum. 



ifoUum 



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