738 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Gerardia iemiifoUa Vahl. Slender Gerardia 



A glabrous annual ; leaves narrowly linear acute ; calyx teeth very short 

 acute; corolla light purple spotted J^ inch long. 



Distribution. In low grounds Quebec to Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas and 

 Louisiana. 



Gerardia grandiflora Benth 



A common pubescent annual or biennial 2-4 feet high ; leaves ovate lance- 

 olate coarsely toothed or cut, the lower pinnatifid ; pedicels shorter than the 

 calyx ; calyx-lobes oblong or ovate ; corolla longer than calyx-lobes. 



Distribution. In dry woods Wisconsin, Minnesota to Texas and Tennessee. 



Poisonous properties. The first species said to be poisonous to sheep and 

 calves. Other species probably poisonous. 



5. Pedicularis (Tourn.) L. Lousewort 

 Perennial herbs with pinnately lobed or cleft or pinnatifid leaves ; calyx 

 tubular; corolla 2-lipped, the upper lip arched, frequently beaked at the apex; 

 lower lip erect; stamens 4, under the upper lip, anthers transverse; capsule 

 generally oblique; several-seeded. About 125 species mostly in the Northern 

 Hemisphere. 



Pedicularis canadensis L. Lousewort 



Hairy simple stemmed plant from 6 inches-l foot high; leaves scattered, 

 the lowest piimately parted; flowers in short spikes; calyx split in front, oblique; 

 corolla greenish yellow and purple, upper lip of the corolla hooded, 2-toothed 

 under the apex. 



Distribution. In woods and prairies from eastern Canada to Florida, to 

 Missouri and New Mexico, to Manitoba. 



Pedicularis lanceolata Michx. Swamp Lousewort 



An upright glabrous perennial from 1-3 feet high; leaves opposite and 

 alternate, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, pinnately lobed, the lower petioled; 

 flowers in spikes; calyx 2-lobed, leafy-crested; corolla pale yellow, bearing a 

 short truncate beak, the lower lip nearly erect; capsule ovate, about as long as 

 the calyx. 



Distribution. In swamps from Ontario to Connecticut, Virginia, Iowa, 

 Nebraska, Minnesota to Manitoba. 



Poisonous properties. P. canadensis is said to be poisonous to sheep and 

 P. lanceolata is also suspected. Rocky Mountain species such as P. groenlandica, 

 P. racemosa and P. hracteosa, are frequently eaten by sheep without any ill 

 effects. Lehmann lists three European species as poisonous, the P. palustris. 

 P. syh'atica and P. siidetica. A decoction made from these European plants 

 is used to destroy animal parasites. In cattle these plants cause anemia. 



Dr. Lindley, in speaking of the European species, says, "they are acrid but 

 are eaten by goats." The European P. palustris was formerly officinal and is 

 much used in Europe as a domestic remedy. The glucoside, rhinanthin, is 

 found in the different species of the genus. It is identical with the material 

 found in the common Rutter and Eggs {IJnaria vulgaris) {C ^J:i ^^O ^^^ . 



BlGNONiACEAiC. Piignonia I'amily 



Woody plants, trees, shrubs or woody climbers or some exotic herbs; 

 leaves opposite or rarely alternate; flowers mostly large and showy; calyx 2- 



