PLANTS FURNISH I N(i MKDICI NAL l.lvW i;S AND IIKlMiS. 



•J 7 



BUGLEAVEEI). 



Lijcopus virginirua L. 



OIlur cDunnon names. — Buj'lcwoii, sweet buu:le\vee(l, Ameriean walcr lidnliMund, 

 carpenter's herb, green archangel, gypsyweed, Paul's Ix'lony, wor).] betony, wnli tudt, 

 purple archangel, water 

 'bugle, gypsywort, gypsy 

 herb, Virginia horehound . 



Habitat and range.- 

 Bugleweed is a native 

 herb frequenting wet, 

 shady places from Canada 

 to Florida, Missouri, and 

 Nebraska. 



Description. — This per- 

 ennial herb of the mint 

 family (Menthacese) has 

 long, threadlike runners 

 and a bluntly 4-angled, 

 smooth, slender, erect or 

 ascending stem from (i 

 inches to 2 feet in height. 

 The leaves are dark green 

 or of a purplish tinge, 

 about 2 inches in length, 

 long pointed at the apex 

 and narrowed toward the 

 base, the upjier portion of 

 ihe margin being toothed . 

 The small, tubular, bell- 

 shaped, 4-lobed flowers 

 are purplish and are pro- 

 duced from about July 

 to September They are 

 borne in dense clusters in 

 the axils of the leaves and 

 are followed by 3-sided 

 nutlets. (Fig. 19.) 



Collection, prices, and uses. — The entire herb, which was olhcial from 1830 In Tk^O, 

 should be gathered during the flowering period. It brings about 3 to 4 cents a jxiund. 

 The plant has a rather pleasant, mintlike odor, but the taste is bitter and disagreeal)le. 

 It has sedative, tonic, and astringent properties. 

 219 



Fig. I'J. — Buf,'lewec'd {Lijcopu.t lirginicm), leaves and llowv 



