4 ON THE MEDICINAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL 



tioiis. In a strictly toxicoloi^ical jxiiiit of view, they possess, of 

 course, tlieir own inlierent value. 



On account of tlie rapidity with whicli discoveries are being 

 made in this department of science, hotli in this country and in 

 Europe, and the necessary changes wliicli befall its nomenclature, 

 proverbially fickle, we have included in it also whatever is known 

 respecting those gi'owing in the United States at large, as well as 

 of some which may not be yet ascertained to be natives. Tlie easy- 

 diffusion of the minute sjiorules of these interesting plants, renders 

 this extension of the geographical area within which we are limited 

 the more necessary. By this means, when new genera and sj^e- 

 cies shall be discovered in any particular locality, we may more 

 successfully refer to the following for information respecting their 

 medicinal, toxicological, or dietetic properties. 



We have the privilege of whatever of pleasure, of enthusiasm, 

 and of ardor novelty gives to the pioneer in new and unexplored 

 regions, this being a department of inquiry which has had few 

 or absolutely no laborers in this country. Tlie present Heport, 

 therefore, requires the embodyingof a comparatively large amount 

 of material, in order that our knowledge of the subject may be 

 brought up to the present day ; and that future inquirers, being 

 placed in possession of what has been already accomplished, may 

 proceed directly to more experimental researches. 



Tlie difficulty of the task is increased hj the partial obscurity 

 which invests all examinations amono: the Flow^erless Plants. Xot- 

 withstanding some of the best minds in Eurojie and in this coun- 

 try are ranked among their investigators, and iheir study attracted, 

 at the beginning of this century, so much attention that the Ger- 

 mans were derided for the " Cryptomania " which prevailed 

 among them, yet the multiplication (»f synonyms involves them 

 in some confusion, and demands the keenest scrutiny and exact- 

 ness. 



In order to secure as much accuracy as the nature of the sub- 

 ject permits, we have spared no ])ains to make careful compari- 

 sons from the most recent and best-ap]>roved works. AVe have 

 selected, as a basis for the pa])er, an authority which none will 

 be incl'ned to question, viz. Tlie " Cryptogamia of England," 

 l)y Sir William Jackson Hooker; the Ilev. M. A. Berkley, equally 

 well known, also being the author of the portion embracing the 

 Fungi. Tlie classification and arrangement, however, is the Natu- 

 ral one, adopting the views of Prof. Lindley. 



