120 GALIUM. No. 98. 



form now the subgenus •Sparine. We have many species 

 ©^f this genus in North America, 20 or more j several 

 are yet und escribed. I am not yet prepared to give 

 their monography. This species being common to Eu- 

 rope and America^ is one of the best known. It grows 

 from Canada to New York and Ohio, in pastures, mea- 

 dows and river banks, blossoming in June, and:~July- 

 Many other species are probably medi^iaV^but we only 

 use the G. verum an^ jGnr a^an/i^-xrommon in woods, 



trailing, rough, with wliite lateral flowers and rough 

 geeds. The circezans has sweet leaves, tasting like 

 liquorice. The G, tinctoriutmnd G. boreale^ called Sa- 

 voyan in Canada, are useful plants, the creeping red 



roots dye of a beautiful red like madder with acids j 

 the Indians use them for their beautiful red dye. Schoepf 

 says that G. tinctorium coagulates milk like G. verum^ 

 and is useful for diseases oi the skin. 



PROPERTIES, The G. verum and also GMparine arc 

 ancient medical plants; the whole plants are used; as 

 subastringent, discutient, antiscorbutic, aperient, diu* 

 retic, nervine, &c. Although neglected lately by medi- 

 cal writers, because apparently inert ; they are by no 

 means so. The taste is bitterish and acid. The flowers 

 have an acid, their property of coagulating milk, to 

 which the name alludes, is now ascertained to be false j 

 and it is no longer used for that purpose. In the South 

 of Europe, Artichokes are now used instead of Rennet, 

 which spoils the taste of milk, and sweet congealed milk 

 is thus procured, very palatable and healthy. Externally 

 applied in poultice, it is a good discutient for indolent 

 tumors, strumous swellings and tugiors of the breast. 

 Internally it is used in decoction sweetened with honey, 

 for suppression of urine and gravelly complaints, m 

 scurvy, dropsy, hysterics, epilepsy, gout, &c. There are 

 instances qn record of having cured these diseases. Use- 

 ful also In bleeding of the nose and stomach. Lately 

 tound peculiarly beneficial in scorbutic, scrofulous, an3 

 d^ops^lcal complaints, acting mildly, but effectually- The 

 nowers are of a fine yellow or golden color, and have a 

 pci^ . :.mell, somewhat like Melilotm ; they arc used 



fin^^«u^^^^* ?^ Kurope, to give a rich sweet taste and a 

 ""e yellow color to milk, butter, and cheese, by being 



