62 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



the germ, many-seeded ; leaves alternate ; flowers axillary, soli- 

 tary, of a dull color ; some are herbaceous. 



Tonic, stimulant, anthelmintic, antarthritic, alexipharmic, evac- 

 uant, antophthalmic, emetic, are the properties belonging to the 

 order. 



Common in equinoctial America ; sparingly found in the tem- 

 perate zones. 



Aristolochia. L. 18. 6. 



A. serpentaria. L. Virginia Snakeroot. This plant grows 

 in shady woods in the Southern States, from Pennsylvania to 

 Carolina ; stem flexuous ; oblong and cordate leaves ; flowers 

 purplish brown on a radical peduncle ; blossoms in June. The 

 roots are highly medicinal. Bigelow's " Medical Botany." 

 Cultivated by the Shakers. Of this genus, 47 species have 

 been described. 



ASARUM. L. 18. 10. 



t3.. Canadense. L. Wild Ginger, White Snakeroot. Stem- 

 less ; from the root arise two kidney-form, broad, and round 

 leaves, pubescent on both sides, and with hairy petioles ; a 

 single flower rises between the leaves, and close to the ground, 

 having a woolly calyx of several deeply-parted segments, on a 

 short pedimcle ; root creeping, fleshy, partially jointed ; blossoms 

 in May, and grows in woods. The roots have a pleasant aro- 

 matic taste ; medicinal. Bigelow's "Medical Botany." 



Another species is found in the South, and one in Canada, while 

 only one is ascribed to England and other parts of Europe. 



ORDER 64. SANTALACE^. 



So named from the genus, Santalum^ whose species belong to 

 India and New Holland. 



Calyx 4 or 5-cleft, with stamens opposite the segments of 

 the calyx ; ovary inferior, 1 -celled ; style 1 ; leaves alternate, 

 or mostly opposite, undivided ; flowers generally in spikes ; rarely 

 solitary or umbelliferous ; small. Few properties of interest. 



In New Holland, the East Indies, &c., the plants of this order 



