COMPOSITE FAMILY COMPOSITAE 
COMMON BONESET 
Eupatorium perfoliatum L. 
This is still another species often mistaken for White Snakes 
root, page 341, although it is really very different. It is a very 
common plant in wet places from Nova Scotia to Manitoba and 
south to Florida and 
Texas. It was for- 
merly a common 
pactice among coun-_ 
try folk to steep the 
leaves of this plant. 
to make “Boneset 
tea,” which was used | 
as a spring tonic and _ 
for various ailments. — 
The stem is stout — 
and very hairy, 
growing 2-5 feet tall 
and branching near 
the top. The leaves’ 
are Opposite or very — 
rarely in threes, and 
their bases aregrown _ 
together around the ~ 
stem. This character 
alone is sufficient to 
distinguish the plant from White Snakeroot. Further, they are 
rather rough and hairy on the lower surface, usually more or less 
wrinkled and very veiny. | 
The numerous heads are rather crowded in the large com- 
pound flat-topped inflorescence. Ten to 16 tubular and whitish 
or bluish flowers bloom in each head from July to September. The 
involucre is bell shaped and its lanceolate bracts are hairy. They 
are arranged in 2 or 3 series, the outer shorter. The akenes are 
s-angled and the pappus is a single row of slender bristles. 
Grandmother’s gathering boneset today; 
In the garret she’ll dry and hang it away. 
Next winter I’ll “need” some boneset tea— 
I wish she wouldn’t think always of me! . 
Grandmother’s Gathering Boneset—EvitH M. THOMAS 
340 
