No. 90. SYMPHYTUM. 95 



No. 90. SYMPHYTUM OFFICINALE. 



Numes^ Common Comfrey. Fr* Consoude usuelle. 



Classif. Nat. Order of Borragines or Asperifolia. 

 Pentandria raonogynia L. 



. Genus Symphytum. Calyx five parted, persistent. 

 Corolla funnel shaped, limbus tubulate ventricose, orifice 

 closed by 5 subulate appendages. Five stamina in the 

 tube. Pistil 4 lobed, one style and stigma. Four seeds. 



^^. Symphytum qffidnale. L. Stem erect and winged: 

 leaves oval lanceolate, all sessile, decurrent, acute, ru- 

 gose: racemes nodding, glomerated, and secund. 

 ^ DESCRIPTION. Root jperennial, whitish, thick, cv- 

 lindrical, tapering or branched. Stem 3 or 4 feet high, 

 upright, branched, angular and winged, rough j branches 

 erect. Leaves alternate, sessile decurrent, oblong, at- 

 tenuated, and rugose. Flowers in terminal racemes, 

 glonerated, nodding, recurved. Corolla yellowish white, 

 base tubular, end ventricose, 5 toothed. 



HISTORY. This plant ia a native of Europe, but has 

 been naturalized from New England to Ohio and Vlr- 



inia, growing spontaneously in thickets, meadows, &c. 



t blossoms in June and July. The varieties are, 1. Ptir- 

 ptirenm^ with purple flowers and spreading calyx. 2, Ni- 

 grum, root black. S.Elaiior. A.Pumihim. 5. JHhiflorum. 



We have a native American species of this genus, 

 found west of the Mississippi, in the prairies and glades, 

 and cultivated at Bartram-s garden. 1 call it and dlstin- 

 guisli as follows : 



Symphytum hirsutum. Whole plant hirsute. Stem 

 erect, somewhat winged, lower leaves petiolate, oblong 

 lanceolate, upper leaves sessile decurrent, oval acumi- 

 nate ; racemes germinate, erect, convolute at the end. 

 Size 4 feet, lower leaves a foot long, flowers white. 



PROPERTIES. The whole plant, but chiefly the 

 roots are in use j the 'S'* hirsutum is probably equivalent. 

 They have no smell ; the taste is mucilaginous, gluti- 

 nous, a little sweetish, and austere, but grateful. The 

 principles are mucilage, fecula, gallic acid, &c. They 

 are inspissant, demulcent, vulnerary, astringent, and be- 

 neficial in dysentery, nephritis, haciuatuna, hemoptysis, 



