LVIIL 



SENEGA. 



(POLYGALA SENEGA. ) 



Rattlesnake Milkwort, or Snakewort 



Synonyms. — Planta marilandica caule non ramoso, Rail Syn. Polygala 

 caule simplici crecto, Oron. Flor. Virg. Polygala senega, Linn., 8p. PL, 950, etc. 



Foreign Names.— Fr. : Polygale de Virginie, Senega, Eacine de Serpent a 

 sonnettes. Ital. : Polygala Virginiana. Germ. : Senega wurz, Klapperschlan- 

 genwurz. Sicecl. y Dan., and Suss. : Senega. 



Nat Order, Lomentaceje, Linn.; Pediculares, Juss.; Poly- 



galeae, De Cand. — Diadelphia, Octandria. 



Gen. Char.— Sepals persistent; the two inner ones wing-like. Petals 

 three to five, adnate to the tube of the stamen ; the inferior one heel- 

 shaped (perhaps composed of two united). Capsule compressed, ellip- 

 tical, or obcordate. Seeds pubescent, carunculated at the hilum, desti- 

 tute of a coma (De Cand.) 



Spec. Char. — Stems several, somewhat erect, simple, terete. Leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate ; the upper ones acuminate. Racemes somewhat spiked. 

 Wings orbiculate. Capsule elliptical, emarginate [De Cand.) 



H 



sylvania, first brought this plant into notice as an antidote to 

 the poison of venomous snakes, particularly the rattlesnake ; 



and 



It 



appears that he derived his knowledge of the effects from the 

 Senegaroos, an Indian tribe, and he received a reward for his 



The 



Fig. 1. The calyx reflected, showing the corolla. 2. A section of the same, 

 mter leaflet of the calyx closed. 4. Section showing the anthers (these 

 figures are magnified). 5. The root. 



* Polygala, from ttoAus, much, and ya\a, milk, from its reputation of increasing 

 the milk of those animals which partake of it. 



