86 BOTANTGAL GAZETTE. 



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Medicinal Plants in California. — Grmdelia nihmt,a, which ji rows throughout i 

 the State supplies a balsam of a resinous character, most abundant in the buds, but 

 found in all the juices of the plant. As a cure for the eruption occasioned by contact 

 with the "poison oak," the balsam is accounted almost a specific. It is also in demand 

 in the Atlantic States as a remedy for asthma and bronchial affections. 



Tlie leaves of the Eucalyptm, serving as the stuffing of a pillow, have been found 

 beneficial in relieving neuralgic headaches ; and a tincture prepared from the leaves has 

 a variety of uses in medicine. 



One of the newest of vegetable drugs is obtained from the Yerba Kiaifa, a shrub 

 known also as gum-weed, mountain balsam, wild peach, and bears' weed. The leaves 

 contain a resinous substance highly spoken of as an ingredient in cough mi.vtures, and 

 for the cure of bronchial and laryngeal disorders. 



The collection and drying of medicinal plants in California, for shipment to manu- 

 facturing chemists at the East, is gradually becoming a business of importance. — [N. 

 Y. Tribune 1 



Anemone Caroliniana. — I have two specimens of Anemone dn-oliniand, Walt., 

 collected April 23d, 1878, with rudimentary flowers, consisting of a single sepal of the 

 usual size and color in one plant, and situated about i. 3' inch below the ordinary ter, 

 minal flowers. The other plant has a single sepal about twice the length of the ordi- 

 nary ones, purple, with greenish margins, situated in the axil of the three-parted invol- 

 ucre. Both sepals seemed to have a sti'ong inclination to twine, or wrap around the 

 stem from left to right. These two plants were found about half a mile apart on a K. 

 R. grade. — M. H. Panton, Junction City, Kan. 



Heteromorpuism in Plant.\uo coHD.vrA, L.vM. — While examining several plants 

 of this species, I noticed that several sjtikes on each plant did not show the usual pro- 

 terogynous condition, also that the stamens seemed longer than usual. A closer ex- 

 amination showed that the flowers were perfect, but the styles were only two mm. in 

 length. The styles in the spikes which were of the common form, were six mm. in 

 longth. Tilt; stamens in the short-styled flowers were nine mm. in length, while those 

 of the long-styled flowers were only six mm. in length. The earlier flowering spikes 

 of each plant were of the short styled form, while the later flowering spikes were all 

 long styled. If this species was entomophilous we could see some advantage to be de- 

 rived from this mixed condition of things. It is jioisible this may be a case of a mon- 

 (ecious condition or a dioecious cundition about to be. in fact, in the very process of 

 becoming. — C. F. Wheeler, Huhbunhtun, Mich. 



Miscellaneous Notes. — During the summer of 187(5 I was in Readsboro, V't., and 

 found Eiqtatorium agerdtokUs growing 4 to 5 feet high, with leaves 4 to 7 inches long 

 and correspondingly wide. Going back to Williauistown, Mass., 20 miles to the south- 

 west, I fountl every specimen 2 or 2% fejt high or less, with leaves only 2 or 3 inches 

 in length. 



Can any one tell me how to distinguish Axter I'l-Kdrscunti, L., I'vom A. miser. Ij., 

 Ait? I have never found anvthing that I could (-ouscientiously call .1. Tradescanti, 

 although others have given that name to some specimens that I called A. miser. Prof. 

 Peck, of Albany, told me that he also had never found what he could cilll .4. I'nides- 

 ean/i- 



Gray's Manual ilescril)es Soluhi-jo ultissinin, L., as "2 to 7 inches high — instead of 

 the tallest, as its name denotes, it is usually one of tin; lowest of the common Golden 

 rods." I think I have never found it less than 2 feet high under any circumstances, 

 seldom less than 4 feet. — Chas. H. Ford, Geneseo, III. 



