haJVij. 



1* 



VII 



HEPTJXDRI.l .MO.VOQVJ^M. 



246. JESCVLUS. 



*♦ 



1 



iESCULUS. 



Calyx i-phyllns^ 



i> 



dentatus, veiitiicosus. Co- 

 rolla 4—5 pctala, inaj- | roUa 

 qualis, calyci inserta. | qual 

 tk/psula S-Iociilaris. Se- 

 mina magna, solitaria. 



1. P Via. 



M^ foliis qiilnatis, gla- 

 bil'?, iniequaJiter denta- 

 tis ; coroUis tetrapetalis ; 

 italorum coimiventium 



Cahjx l-leaverl, 4—5 



toothed, ventricose. Co- 



petalled 



Capsule 3- celled 

 i^eeds large, solitary. 



P 



J 



Leaves by fives, gla- 

 brous, unequally toothed j 

 corolla 4 petalled ; the 



cl 



of tiie 



nt 



'& 



uibus longitudine ca- petals as long as the ca- 



Sr 



^ 



P 



Walt p. 128. Mich. 1. p. 219. Pursh, I p. 2J4. 



^ A shrub generally 3—5 feet high in the low country, sometimes 

 becoming a small tree near the mountains ; branches irregular, tliick,. 

 obtuse, ^'lowers iu terminal racemes, with the buds few flowered. 

 FelaU unequal, of a bright scarlet colour. Stamens uncquaf, nearly 

 as hjng as the petal.^. Capsules nearly round, coriaceuui, 3 ceKeti. 



Grow3 in louse soils, preferring rich places. 



Flowers April— May. BuckH-Eie. 



The narcotic property of tliis sbrwb, has given rise to a singular 



mode of taking fish, practised, though not freqnently in some parts of 



this state, rhe tender branches are bruised and thrown into a pool 



of small extent, the water i^ then a^jitated until it beco:^es mufticient- 



Jy impregnated to etVect the fish ; they rise tj t!ie surface almost 



lifeless and may be taken by the hand. The powdertd seed may be 



^sed with \iqual effect. Fish taken in this manner arc eaten with 

 impunity. 



The root of tlie Buck^s-Eye is used as a substitute for soap ia 

 washing woollen clothes. 



■V ' 



