No. 85. SIGILLARIA. 85 



Convallaria umhellata bj authors, distinguished by my- 

 self, 1* CI nvians. 2. CI odorata. 3. CL podanhta^ 

 4. CL parvijtora. 5. CI multiflora. 



It is absurd to consider all these genera as one genus, 

 without any collective characters j they are not even 

 subgenera, since their habit and flowers are widely dif- 

 ferent. , 



The S, muUiflora is found all over the United States^ 



on hills I it blossoms in June and July- The other Ame- 

 rican species of Sigillaria^ such as S. bi/iora, S. tatifo- 

 lia^ S. pubescensj &c. are all called Solomon Seal, and 

 having similar properties, will be included here. 



PROPERTIES. The roots of those plants are chiefly 

 used. They are demulcent, restringent, corroborant, 

 depurative, vulnerary, cosmetic, cephalic, nervine, &c. 

 Their smell is vapid, the taste rather macilagiuou^ and 



sweetish : they contain gum, sugar, mucilage, and fe- 

 cuTa- Their properties are so mild that they can be 

 eaten, particularly when dry or cooked. In Sweden, a 

 flour and sood bread is made with them- Oar Indians 



collected them a^ an article of food- The Indians of 



Oregon or Columbia river eat the berries, cauii _ 

 Solmq.^ which name is surprisingly similar to ours. The 

 young shoots may be eaten like Asparagus and Poke, 

 according to Cutlen Sc^oepf says that the bruised root 

 is employed in ophthalniy or sore eyes. They are also 

 useful in poultice, for piles, wounds, and inflammations 

 of the skm, A vinous infusion of them witli Comfrey 

 roots is useful as a restringent in fluor albus, leucor- 

 rhea, and immoderate flow of the menses. The powder- 

 ed roots purify the blood ; their extract has been used 

 by Dr. Arnold for coughs and pains in the breast. They 

 appear to be equivalent to ITlmus fulva^ and u.ay per- 

 haps be used in bowel complaints. Schoepf says that 

 one species (more probably Uvularia grandijlord) is em- 

 ployed in Pennsylvania against the bites of rattle snakes. 

 The berries arc cephalic and cardiacal, like tho^e of 

 Mayanthemum racemosumy mentioned by Clayton. 



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