94 STATICE. No. 89 



obtuse. Pistil small obovate, 5 stvles shorter than the 

 stamens. Seed oblong. 



HISTORY. This plant is deemed by many a variety 

 of St. liminium of Europe, which, however, differs by 

 the leaves oblong undulate and larger flowers, while the 

 St. gmeiini or Asiatic, akin species, has obovate leaves 

 and angular scapes. It was first distinguished by Wal- 

 ter, and grows on our sea shores, near salt marshes, 

 from New England to Florida. It blossoms in summer. 

 The varieties are ; 1. Jllbi/Iora. 3. Cespitosa, S.Fumila. 

 4. Hamosissima. 3. Longifolia. It is strange that the 

 name of Rosemary, belonging to a very different shrub, 

 the Rosmarinus officinalis, should be given to this plant 

 in America : the true English name is Thrift. Neither 

 the root nor plant has any smell. 



PROPERTIES. The root is the officinal part j it is 

 one of the most powerful vegetable astringent and styp- 

 tic, even stronger than St. Kmonium, Geranium macula- 

 tmn, and Kino, and equal to Galls, since an equal quan- 

 tity of both makes ink equally black. It contains tan- 



Water 



and alcohol are both solvents of it, but tlie last is even 

 stronger, and the cold infusion more powerful than the 

 hot. The roots are kept in shops : they are chiefly used 

 m aphtha, ulcers of the mouth and throat, debility, he- 

 morrhage, cynanche maligna, relaxed bowels, cholera 

 infantum, chronic dysentery, &c. in which they are emi- 

 nently beneficial, being also antiseptic. It often avails 

 when other astringents and tonics have failed. It is a 

 Kmd of specific, as a gargle, in ulcerous sorethroat or 

 scarlatina anginosa. In dysentery, it must be given after 

 purgatives. It has been employed also in a wash or in- 

 jections, in gonorrhea, gleets, and immoderate flow of 

 menses. For internal use, the decoction or infusion 

 sw-eetened (or a syrup) may be employed in small re- 

 peated doses. The taste is very styptic and somewhat 



tic?'^ Vi* "^^^ ^^ "^^^^ "^°^® palatable by some aroma- 

 mirt<«il ^^^ "^^^"^ properties are well attested and ad- 

 ic ' ^ ^ ' ,^^l Pliysicians. Zollickoffer alone states that it 

 ' ^^ swionfic and emetic, but probably by mistake. 



