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1 



J 18 CHELONE. No. 9r- 



4. Ch. purpurea. Stem simple, leaves petiolate oblongs 

 flowers pfurplish. 



5. Ch. ooliquea. Stem simple, leaves subpetiolate 

 oblique at the base. 



6. Ch. eialior. Stem simple, 4 or 5 feet high, leaves 

 petiolate broad lanceolate, spike oblong, flowers purplisl 

 white. 



7* Ch. capitata. Stem branched, 2 feet high, square : 

 leaves petiolate lanceolate, floral leaves ovate lanceolate: 

 spike snort capitate, flowers purplish white. 



HISTORY. All these plants are handsome, with sin- 

 ular ornamental and large blossoms, but scentless. 

 Thejgrow from New England to Louisiana, near brooks 

 and waters, and blossoms from July to November. The 

 variety Capitata is peculiar to the Western States. The 

 Linnpean genus Cheione is now very natural, since the 

 G. Fentoslemon was divided from it. It is peculiar to 

 North America. The name means turtle and is not 

 goodj Chelonanthus or Ophianthes^ would have been 

 better. Some other species equally medical are found in 

 the Southern States ; Ch. lyoni will be known by its cor- 

 date leaves, and Ch. latifolia by ovate leaves, besides 

 ciliated bracts and calyx. 



PROPERTIES. I have the pleasure to introduce 

 these active plants into Materia Medica. They have 

 been omitted by all our writers, even Schoepf. I am in- 

 debted to Dr. Lawrence, of New Lebanon, for the first 

 knowledge of their properties, and he to the Indians and 

 Shakers. They are powerful tonic, cathartic, hepatic, 

 and anti-herpetic. The whole plant is used, but strictly 

 the leaves; they are extensively bitter, oneof the strong- 

 est of our bitters, without any aromatic smell and very 

 little astringency. I have analyzed and made many ex- 

 periments with them. Their tincture becomes black, 

 and the use of. it dyes the urine of the same color. It 

 contains gallic acid, a peculiar resinous substance soluble 

 m water and alcohol, similar to picrine and aloes, of a 

 black color and very bitter taste, lignine, &c. The pro- 

 perties are equally soluble in water, wine and alcohol : 

 ^»*^ IS tlie best menstruum, but becomes intolerably 



bAT^ ^4 - ^* useful in many diseases, fevers, jauTidice, 



«epatitis, tri^pti,,,,,,^^ tim-^kin. Sec. lu small doses it 



