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232 ISIPHIA. 



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poseil ; it contains several active substances, a peculiar 

 concrete oil, similar to Camphor, a peculiar fecula, 

 called Jntdine^ a crjstallizabte resin, acetic acid, albu- 

 inen, &c. 



IPOMEA QUAMOCLIT, L. Cyprus vine, Red Jes- 

 samine^ &c- From Florida to Mexico, beautiful vine. 

 Root said to be purgative in the West Indies, juice ce- 

 phalic and errhine in the East Indies. Ip. avictdarh, 

 Raf. Fh lud, has edible seeds, eaten by the Indians, 

 ducks fatten on it. /p. macrorhiza has a huge root, amy- 

 laceous, edible, eaten bj negroes. 



IRIS, L. Flower de luce^ Flag lily. Many sp, useful 

 and ornamental. Roots of all more or less medical. /. 

 versicolor, or common blue Flag, chiefly used : roots 

 sweetisfi mucilaginous, taste nauseous subacrid, it con- 

 tains white resin and fecula. Cathartic, diuretic and 

 astringent. Much esteemed by the Southern tribes, and 

 kej>t in ponds for use, as a purgative j very active, a few 

 grains of the fresh root operates on the bowels with much 

 nausea, 60 drops of the juice are drastic, milder when 

 dry. In large doses drastic and emetic ; formerly used 

 in syphilis and hydrophobia. Useful in anasarca and 

 hydrothorax, the decoction in sore mouth, ulcers and 

 wounds in a wash. A decoction of | Iris and | Eryn- 

 gium yucefoUum has cured the dropsy, without disturb- 

 ing the bowels. The leaves used for many diseases of 

 children, being niikler, purgative and vermifuge. The 

 sweet blossoms still better, their syrup similar and equal 

 to that of violets, pectoral, laxative, &c. The seeds may 

 be used like <bffee, eq. of Okra seeds. All these proper- 

 ties appear common to /. verna^ L vir ginica, L gracilis^ 

 /. pseudacoruSy and perhaps to all our sp. The root of /. 

 cristata are also cathartic, when fresh the taste is sweet 

 at first, but next burning like Capsici(m,i\\Q leaves used 

 to alleviate thirst, h florentina cult, produces the per* 

 fumed Oris root. 



ISANTHUS, Mx. Equiv. of Teucrium. 



ISIP1IL\, Raf. 3 sp. L glabra, L tomentosa, L trip- 

 teris^ united to Jlristolochia, are equivalents. The first 

 or A. sipho^ Ms- {Pipe vine or Sasafaril) has the root 

 very pungent and aromatic, eq. of Seneka root j the bark 



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