PLANTS FURNISHING MEDICINAL LEAVES AND HERBS. 



15 



YERBA SANTA. 



Eriodictyon califomicum (H. and A.) Greene. 



Pharmacopoeial name. — Eriodictyon. 



Synonym. — Eriodictyon gliitinosum Benth. 



Other common names. — Mountain balm, consumptive's weed,' bear's-weed, gum 

 plant, tarweed. 



Description. — This evergreen shrub, a member of the watorleaf family (Hydro- 

 phyllacese), reaches a 

 height of from 3 to 4 feet, 

 bearing glutinous leaves. 

 The stem is smooth, but ex- 

 udes a gummy substance. 

 The dark -green leaves are 

 from 3 to 4 inches in length, 

 placed alternately on the 

 stem, oblong or oval lance 

 shaped, leathery, narrow- 

 ing gradually into a short 

 stalk, and with margins 

 generally toothed, except 

 perhaps at the base: the 

 upper surface is smooth, 

 with depressed veins, the 

 prominent veins on the 

 under surface forming a 

 strong network and the 

 spaces between the veins 

 covered with short felty 

 hairs, giving it a white ap- 

 pearance. The leaves are 

 coated with a resinous sub- 

 stance, making them ap- 

 pear as if varnished. The 

 rather showy whitish or 

 pale-blue flowers are borne 

 in clusters at the top of the 

 plant, the tubular, funnel- 

 shaped corolla mieasuring 

 about half an inch in length 

 and haA-ing five spreading 

 lobes. (Fig. 7.) The seed 

 capsule is oval, grayish 

 brown, and contains small, 

 reddish-brown, shriveled 

 seeds. 



Collection, prices, and uses. — The leaves are the parts collected for medicinal use and 

 are official in the United States Pharmacopoeia. The price paid for them is about 5 

 cents a pound. Yerba santa has expectorant properties and is employed for throat 

 and bronchial affections. It is also used as a bitter tonic. The odor is aromatic and 

 the taste balsamic and sweetish. 



FiCr. 7.— Yerba santa (Eriodictyon califomicum), loaves and flowers. 



' A popular but misleadine; name. 



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