"Hr 



108 VERONICA. No. 94. 



spike cylindrical, segments oblong. In Virginia, found 

 by Mr. Kingston in 1800, seen in his herbarium in 1804. 



8. Sp. U. heterophylla. Raf. Leaves narrow, oblong or 

 lanceolate, base subcordate or nearly rounded, end ob- 

 tuse, spike oblong, segments linear oblong. From New 

 York to Louisiana. Stem only 12 to 18 inches high. 

 Var. 1- Lanceolata. 2. Stenocardia. Leaves small, of- 

 ten variable on the same plant. 



9. Sp. U. rotundifolia. Raf. Leaves rounded obtuse, 

 base hardly cordate ; spike oblong, segments oval, per- 

 haps a variety of the last. In the Western States, rare, 

 stem weak and short- This is not the PonUderia rotun- 

 difolia of L. which has orbicular cordate leaves, and 

 grows in South America, but it may be a tenth specie of 

 this genus ; if so, it may be called U. orbiculata, 



^ PROPERTIES. I have the pleasure to introduce this 

 singular genus to medical notice. All the species have 

 similar properties j they reside chiefly in the roots, 

 which are emollient, restringent, and anti-scrofulous. 

 The leaves form an excellent cooling topical applicatioif 

 for inflammations on the surface of the body ; they can 

 be eaten boiled as greens, although rather austere when 

 raw ; the Indians use them along with Tradescantiaj 

 Commelina^ Orontium^ NympJiea^ &c. The seeds are 

 edible farinaceous, and were used by them for cakes and 

 other dishes, like the seeds of Orontium. The roots are 

 nearly equivalent to Nymphea^ but much milder and 

 mucilaginous. They may be employed in the same dis- 

 eases, gleets, leucorrhea, fluxes, and externally for scro- 

 fulous tumors and sores. No medical writer has noticed 

 these plants ; they are only known to a few herbalists, 

 and have not yet been analyzed. 



No. 94. VERONICA BECABUNGA. 



Names. Water Speedwell. Fr. Veronique aqua 



^^ . ^ Wate 



C^as5i//Nat. Order of'Veron 

 nogjnia L, 



Diandria mo- 



