INULA HELENTIUM.” ORD. Ill. Composite. : 65 
anther united so as to form a hollow cylindér and. a long germen, 
which supports a slender ‘style, about the length of the tube, and 
furnished with a bifid stigma: the florets at the circumference are 
female, and at the lower part tubular, but at the upper ligulated or 
strap-shaped, and cut at the extremity into three narrow pointed. 
teeth; the female part is similar to that in the hermaphrodite florets: 
the seeds are solitary, striated, quadrangular, and furnished with a 
simple feather or pappus: the receptacle is naked and flat. It is a 
native of England, growing in moist meadows, and flowers in July 
and August. 
It is probable, that Elecampane is the Helenium foliis verbasci of 
Dioscorides,* and the Inula of Pliny,” who also mentions Helenium 
but as a very different plant. * Elecampane is seldom to be met 
with in its wild state, but it is commonly cultivated in gardens, from . 
whence the shops are supplied with the root, which is the part 
directed for medicinal use. “ This root, in its recent state, has a 
weaker and less grateful smell than when thoroughly dried and kept 
for a length of time, by which it is greatly improved, its odour then 
approaching to that of Florence orris. Its taste, on first being 
chewed, is glutinous and somewhat rancid, quickly succeeded by an 
aromatic bitterness and pungency. ‘Spirituous liquors extract its 
virtues in greater perfection than watery; the former scarce elevate 
any thing in distillation; with the latter an essential oi] arises, which 
concretes into white flakes: this possesses at first the flavour of the 
Elecampane, but generally loses it on keeping. An extract, made 
. Lidia cap. 27. > Lib. wiv. cap. 5 
© <6 Helenium e lacrymis Helene natum, & ideo in Helena insula laudatissimum. 
Est autem frutex humi se spargens dodrantalibus ramulis, folio simili serpyllo.” 
Ei, tie. ¢. G. 
The Inula is noticed by Horace: 
‘¢ Erucas yirides, inulas ego primus amaras 
Monstravi incoquere.” 
—_———. quum rapula plenus 
Atgue acidas mavult inulas 
No. 6. R 
Sat. 8. ¥. 51. 
bét.'2. v0, 2 
