ASCLE'PIAS TUBEROSA. 



TUBEROUS SWALLOW-WORT. 

 Class. Order. 



PENTANDRIA. DIGYMIA. 



Natural Order. 



ASCLEPIADE^E. 



No. 78. 



Some portion of the plants comprised in this ge- 

 nus, must, no doubt, have been well known to the 

 founder of our botanical system as possessing emi- 

 nent medical qualities, or he would not have dis- 

 tinguished it by a name derived immediately from 

 the god of medicine JEsculapius. Its trivial name, 

 tuberosa, may be applicable, in its more luxuriant 

 state in America, but with us its roots are more fusi- 

 form than tuberous. 



Its flowers are both singular and interesting; and 

 where a suitable soil occurs for the growth of the 

 plant, it should form a portion of every collection. 



In America they call it the butterfly- weed, or 

 pleurisy-root ; and its medicinal qualities are highly 

 appreciated. The root, when dry, is brittle and 

 easily reduced to powder ; and its taste is moder- 

 ately bitter, but not otherwise unpleasant. 



Dr. Bigelow says that it is eminently entitled to 

 the attention of physicians, as an expectorant and 

 diaphoretic. It produces effects of this kind with 

 great gentleness, and without the heating tendency 

 which accompanies many vegetable sudorifics. It 

 appears to be an expectorant peculiarly suited to the 



