IB. P. I.— 187. 



WILD MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE UNITED 



STATES. 



In the preparation of this bulletin only such wild medicinal plants 

 a.s have a commercial value were considered; that is, such as were 

 usually mentioned in the trade lists of drug dealers throughout the 

 country-. Plants that were found listed by onl}' one or two firms 

 have been omitted. 



Both official and nonofiicial drugs are included in this list. A num- 

 ber of drug plants that were oflScial in the United States Pharmacopoeia 

 for 1890 have been dropped from the Eighth Decennial Revision 

 (1900), which became official on September 1, 1905, and a few new 

 ones have been added. In this bulletin the drugs that were official in 

 the Pharmacopoeia for 1890 are so indicated, while those of the new 

 edition are marked simply ''official.'' 



In the following list the information on each species is given under 

 the accepted botanical name. This name and that of the family to 

 which the plant belongs occupy' the first line of the description. Botan- 

 ical s^nionyms, if any, are mentioned, and these are followed in the 

 next line by the most common names. A few words of information 

 indicating the most important features of habit and stature, as well as 

 the sort of situation in which found, together with the geographical 

 distribution in the United States, are then given in each case. This 

 information is too meager for the identification of the plants concerned 

 in all cases, but it was impossible within the space limits of a publica- 

 tion such as this to include more descriptive matter. The parts of the 

 plants used and the official status of the product close the description. 

 Unless otherwise indicated, the products mentioned are used in the 

 dried state. 



Abies balsamea (L. ) Mill. Pine family (Pinaceae). 



Balsam-fir; Canada balsam tree. 



Slender, evergreen, native tree, 50 to 60 feet high, occurring in damp woods from 

 Newfoundland to the high mountains of southwestern Virginia, west to Min- 

 nesota, and northward. 



Parts used .—Balsam, known as Canada turpentine, Canada balsam, or balsam of 

 fir (official); also bark (nonofficial) . 



11072— No.. 89—06 2 7 



