90 SPIGELIA. No. 8r. 



HISTORY. A beautiful plant, very ornamental by 

 its bright blossoms, although scentless. Found in the 

 Southern and Western States, from Maryland to Ken- 

 tucky and Florida; very abundant in some peculiar 

 places, such as the glades of Carolina and west Ken- 

 tucky, where it is collected as an article of trade. It 

 blossoms in June and July. It has the following varie- 

 ties : 1. Listachya. 2. Fubera, stem, neryes, and margin 

 of leaves pubescent. 3* Pallida^ with pale red flowei^s- 

 4. Mbiflora^ very rare. 5 .Angustifolia^ leaves nearly 

 lanceolate- 6. Parviflora. The genus is dedicated to 

 Spigeli, an Italian botanist. The Cherokees call it Un- 

 stitla, the Osages Mekaa or Starflower. It has been ex- 

 tirpated in many places b^ collectors, and is now very 

 rare in Maryland and Virginia. 



PROPERTIES. The root is the officinal part, and 

 is an article of trade. It is narcotic, vermifuge, seda- 

 tive, cathartic, and febrifuge ,• but the stem and leaves 

 have the same proj^erties. When fresh, they are always 

 narcotic, like Digitalis and Datura / but when dry they 

 lose their strength, the roots even quicker than the 

 leaves, and when the article has long been exposed to 

 the air, it becomes nearly inert, whence the various 

 opinions on its effects. As a narcotic, it is preferable 

 to Digitalis, and milder, never causing sudden prostra- 

 tion, yet it lessens and .soothes the morbid irritability of 

 the heart, arteries, and nerves. In lar^e doses, it causes 

 vertigo, dilatation of the pupil, headache, stupor, flushed 

 face, intoxication, and delirium. The chemical analysis 

 gives as constituent, mucus, extractive, gallic acid, and a 

 peculiar volatile substance called Spigelian. Water is the 

 best menstruum. The smell is not nauseous, the taste 

 IS mucilaginous and sweetish, and thus it is not disliked 

 by children like laany vermifuges. The Cherokees made 

 known the properties of this plant, and they have been 

 <^^firmed by many physicians. It has chiefly attracted 

 Rotice as a vermifuge and for diseases of children, con- 



VUlSiCms. wnrm f^Trai^ kr^ 14- l„ 11 •. i . . 



>f 



cathart 



tive 



purga 



rWk!^ very mild, and by no means certain ; senna 

 rnubarb are the best adjuncts : the warm infusion is 



equently 



