VIII. 
ASARUM EUROPAIUM. 
Asarabacca, Fole’s Foot, Hazelwort, Wild Nard. 
Synonyms.—Asarum, Bauhin, Twak, lib. y. sect. 6. Asarum vulgare. Asarum 
foliis reniformibus subhirsutis, Zinn. 
Forrtan Names.—Fr.: Asaret, Cabaret, Bondelle, Oreille d Homme, Narde 
sauvage. éal.: Asaro. Germ.: Haselkraut, Hazelwurz. Dué.: Mansoor. 
Swed.: Hasselért. Dan.: Hasselurt. Russ.: Wodoler. 
Nat. Order, AristotocHim, Juss. ; SARMENTACER, Linn.— 
DopEcANDRIA, Monocynta. 
Gen. Cuar.—Calyx campanulate, three-lobed, coriaceous, coloured ; the 
points incurved. Corolla none. Stamens twelve, inserted in the ovary, 
awl-shaped, half the length of the calyx. Anthers adnate to the middle 
of the filaments, each of two round, separate cells. Style columnar, 
nearly as long as the stamens. Stigma stellate, six-lobed. Capsule six- 
celled. 
Spec. Cuan.—Leaves in pairs, kidney-shaped, obtuse. 
History.—A substance which acts so perceptibly on the organs 
of smelling and of sight naturally soon attracted the attention of 
physicians, so we find the most ancient masters of our art cele- 
brating the virtues of Asarum. Dioscorides (lib. i. cap. ix.) 
described it under the name of Acagoy, and recommended its use 
in vomiting, dropsy, and inveterate ischias. Pliny asserts that 
it was often confounded with Nardus (Valerian) and Baccaris ; 
but Sprengel maintains that the Baccaris of the ancients and 
Fig. 1. A flower opened. 2. Unripe capsule, crowned with the stamens and 
pistils. 3. A separate stamen, showing its awl-shape, 4, A germen, style, and 
stigma. 5. A seed magnified. 
