RANUNCULACEjE. 



35. A. ferox Wall, in DC. prodr. i. 64. plant, as. yar. 

 i. 35. t. 41. — A. virosum Don prodr. fi. nep. 196. — Hima- 

 laya mountains; Gossain Than, Sirmore, Kamaon. (Bish or 

 Bikh.) 



Tubers 2 or 3, fasciculate, fusiform, 2-4 inches long, blackish, white 

 inside. Stem erect 2-3 feet high, smootli at the base, slightly downy 

 upwards. Branches villous. Leaves roundish-cordate, deeply 5-parted ; 

 lobes incised, pinnatifid, cuneate at the base, generally hairy along the 

 veins on the under side. Raceme terminal, long, downy. Flowers large, 

 deep blue, hoary with hairiness. Helmet gibbous, semicircular,, about 

 an inch long, with a short acumen in front. Cucullate petals cylindrical, 

 narrow, slightly incurved. — A dreadfully poisonous root, equally fatal 

 when taken into the stomach or applied to wounds. Its action is similar 

 to that of A. Napellus, only more virulent. It is used in cases of 

 chronic rheumatism by Indian practitioners. Mr. Pereira found that 

 a drop of the spirituous infusion applied to the tongue produced a 

 numbness which remained for 18 hours. 



ACT^IA. 



Sepals 4-5, imbricated, petaloid, regular. Petals 0. Sta- 

 mens numerous ; the exterior dilated and sterile. Carpels soli- 

 tary, baccate, indehiscent, many-seeded. Seeds compressed, 

 angular, smooth, horizontal. 



36. A. spicata Linn. sp. pi. 722. Eng. Bot. t. 918. Fl. 

 Dan. t. 498. DC. prodr. i. 65. — Bushy mountainous situa- 

 tions in Europe, Caucasus, and Siberia. (Baneberry.) 



Stem erect, leafless, and scaly at the base. Leaves twice or thrice 

 ternate with ovate-lanceolate, serrated or slashed segments. _ Pedicels 

 the length of the flowers, scarcely thickened when in fruit. Sterile 

 stamens spathulate, obtuse. Fruits roundish, black. — Fruit poisonous. 

 Roots antispasmodic, expectorant, astringent ; they are reported to have 

 afforded very marked relief in cases of catarrh. Burnett. 



XANTHORHIZA. 



Sepals 5, deciduous. Petals 5. Carpels 2-3- seeded, by 

 abortion 1 -seeded. 



37. X. apiifolia L'herit stirp. i. 79. t. 38. Barton, mat. med. 

 ii. t. 46. DC. prodr. i. 65. — Mountains in the southern parts of 

 the United States. 



A small deciduous shrub, from 2 to 3 feet high. Root horizontal, 

 throwing up numerous suckers. Wood bright yellow. Leaves pinnate, 

 of about 3 pairs with an odd one ; leaflets ovate or rhomboidal, slashed 

 and serrated, sometimes divided almost to the base on one side, pale 

 green, smooth above slightly pubescent beneath. Racemes axillary, 

 pendulous. Flowers small, dull purplish-brown. Petals obovate, 

 2-lobed. Ovaries 5-9. Capsules inflated, compressed, 1-celled, 

 2-valved, opening at the apex. Seeds oval, flattened. — Both wood and 

 bark a pure, tonic, very intense bitter. It agrees well with the stomach, 

 and has been said to be superior to Calumba. 



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