No. 8£. SABBATIA. 



77 



meadows of the United States, and blossoms in summer 

 It has some varieties : 1 . Albiflora. 2. Latifolia. 3 Paii- 

 ciflora. 4. Elatior. It resembles exceedindy the S 

 centaurium of Europe, which differs only bj the round 

 stem, and the S. corymbosa of our swamps, which has 

 a square stem without wings, and a subulate calyx. AH 

 the species of this genus are handsome ornamented 

 plants ; my S. maritima, as well as S. stellar is of Pursh 

 have a beautiful central star of two colors in the flower.' 

 All the species are medical, and nearlv equivalents' 

 although the S. angularis is the most bitter''and strongest; 

 next to it are S. corymbosa, S. gracilis, and mv two 

 tollowmg new species : 



1. S. maritima. Raf. 1802. Stem dichotome terete ; 

 leaves lanceolate acute ; calyx campanulate, segments 

 linear, subequal to the corolla, which is white, with 

 Jobes ovate oblong, and a central yellow and rose star. 

 On the sea shore of New Jersey, New York, &c. This 

 plant has been erroneously blended with the S. stellaris, 

 which has a corymbose stem, leaves narrower, calyx 

 tiirbmate, corolla three times as long, lobes rose obovate 



obtuse, the central star yellow and red. In the Southern 

 states. 



2. S.nivea. Raf. Stem slender, with four ano-les : 



leaves distant, cuneate, oblong ; flowers trichotome" ca- 



lyx turbinate, segments equal subulate, corolla double 

 m length, snowy white, segments narrow, cuneate ob- 

 tuse- Discovered in 1824, in east Kentucky, near the 

 river Cumberland. 



PROPERTIES. The whole plant is used ,• it is de- 

 cidedly better than the European 8. centaurium, lone 

 used for fevers before the Peruvian Bark was known. 

 Every part of the plant afford a pure strong bitter, solu- 

 ble in water and alcohol. It has no astringency, and 

 hardly any aroma. The property resides in the extrac- 

 tive principle. It is a popular remedy throughout the 

 country as a stomachic febrifuge, and a cure For inter- 

 mittent fevers. It is useful in all kinds of fevers, re- 

 mittent, nervous, typhus, and even yellow fever, and 

 may be given in every stage. It promotes appetite and 

 digestion. It is said also to be a menagogue and vermi- 



fuge in a warm decoction. The most usual wav to take 



G 2 



