EUPATORIUM. 



EUPATORIUM. 



Heads 3-100-flowered. Receptacle flat, naked. Involucral 

 scales in 1, 2, or more rows, equal or unequal, loosely or closely 

 imbricated. Throat of corolla hardly dilated. Anthers inclosed. 

 Arms of the style protruding, cylindrical, obtuse. Achsenium 

 angular or striated. Pappus in 1 row, hairy, rough. DC. 



907. E. perfoliatum Linn, sp.pl. 1174. Bigelow med. bot. t. 2. 

 DC.prodr. v. 151. — E. connatum Michaux fl. bor. am. ii. 99. — 

 Meadows and boggy soils in North America; vulgarly called 

 " Thorough wort, Thorough wax, Cross wort, Bone set." 



Stems erect, round, hairy, branched at the top only. Leaves con- 

 nate, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, decreasing gradually in breadth from 

 the stem, where they are widest, to the extremities, serrated, wrinkled, 

 pale underneath, and hairy, especially on the veins. Flowers in corymbs 

 with hairy peduncles. Involucre cylindrical, imbricated, 12-15-flowered ; 

 'the bracts lanceolate, acute, hairy. Florets tubular, with 5 spreading 

 segments, with a rough down-like pappus. Style filiform, divided into 

 2 filiform acuminate branches, which project beyond the corolla. Fruit 

 oblong on a naked receptacle. — All the parts bitter; a decoction of 

 the leaves the most active form. A valuable tonic stimulant ; used as 

 a substitute for Peruvian bark in the cure of intermittent fevers in the 

 United States. In large doses, in warm infusion or decoction, emetic, 

 sudorific, and aperient. A good substitute for Chamomile flowers in 

 facilitating the operation of an emetic. 



908. E. Ayapana Vent. malm. t. 3. DC. prodr. v. 170 



E. triplinerve Void. symb. iii. 97. — South America, on the right 

 bank of the Amazons, and elsewhere, whence it has been car- 

 ried into the East Indies. 



Stem sufFruticose at the base, ascending, branched, smooth. Leaves 

 subsessile, opposite, lanceolate, triple-nerved, acuminate, nearly entire, 

 smooth. Corymb loose, few-headed. Heads pedicellate, each con- 

 taining about 20 florets. Scales of the involucre in about 1 row, 

 linear, acuminate, unequal, downy at the back. — The infusion of this 

 plant is said to be a powerful sudorific, and alexipharmic. L'Heritier 

 recommends it as an antidote against the bite of venomous ser- 

 pents and malignant insects. For this purpose it is used in Brazil. 

 A quantity of the bruised leaves, which is to be frequently changed, is 

 laid on the scarified wound, and some spoonfuls of the expressed juice 

 are from time to time administered to the patient, till he is found to be 

 free from the symptoms, particularly the dreadful anxiety which follows 

 the wounds of venomous reptiles. Martins. 



MIKANIA. 



Head 4-flowered. Receptacle naked, narrow. Involucral 

 leaves 4, with a bractlet added at the base or below it. Tube 

 of corolla short ; throat dilated and somewhat campanulate. 

 Anthers somewhat protruded. Achacnium angular. Pappus 

 in 1 row, rough and hairy. DC. 

 451 g g 2 



