POLYGALA SENEGA. 19 
ing to Dr. Staples, are resin, starch, and a peculiar crystallizable vegetable substance ? 
Mr sen found in ake eine to which he has given the name Podophyllina. (Journ. of Phil. College 
oo. 1, a Root is an active cathartic, resembling jalap in its action upon the bowels. It is sometimes harsh in 
its eae. ¢ iving rise to tormina and profuse discharges. It was known at an early period of the settlement of this 
ee, ielaives have emetic and purgative effects, and accidents have occurred from their use by mistake. 
cag dose of the powdered root is from ten to twenty grains. An extract has been directed by the United States 
Pharmacopeeia, similar to the Extract of Jalap. 
Puate XI.—Represents the plant in flower, and the fruit. 
—POLYGALACER. 
DE CANDOLLE. 
SHE MILE WORT TRIBE. 
EssentiaL Cuar.—Sepals five, imbricate in estivation, the two interior generally petaliform, the three exterior 
smaller ; two of them are interior and sometimes united, the third is posterior. Petals three to five, hypogynous, more 
or less united by means of the tube of stamens ; rarely distinct. Filaments of stamens adherent to the petals, mona- 
delphous, divided at the apex into two opposite equal phalanges. Amnthers eight, one-celled, innate, dehiscing by pores 
at the apex. Ovary one, free, two-celled, rarely one or three-celled. Style one. Stigma one. Pericarp capsular or 
drupaceous, two or one-celled. Valves septigerous in the middle. Seeds pendulous, solitary, often with a carunculate 
arillus at the base; embryo straight, generally in the axis of a fleshy albumen, or rarely exalbuminous, in which case 
the endopleura is tumid. Herbs or shrubs. Leaves entire, generally alternate, articulated on the stem. (De Candolle. ) 
To many individuals of this family pertain properties of some violence. Polygala Senega may be taken as an 
evidence of this; it possesses principles highly emetic and perturbatory. The peculiar principle plays the part of an 
acid in its chemical relations. There are some other species which have analogous properties. The Polygala san- 
guinea, according to Dr. B. S. Barton, may be substituted for the Senega, and Kiernander says that the P. vulgaris, 
of Europe, has similar virtues. Some of the plants are decidedly poisonous. 
POLYGALA SENEGA. 
LINNEUS. 
SENEKA SNAKEROOT 
Sex. Syst.—Diadelphia, Octandria. Se MDeS IS 
Facemes. (Wight and Arnott, in Lindley’s Flor, Medi 
Sprecir. Cuar.— Root perennial, large, f : ab 
pres several from the same root; sim 
eve; minutely roughish-pubescent, 
