ANDROMEDA. 193 



awned at the summit. Style filiform ; stigma undivided, obtuse. Cap- 

 sule depressed-globular, 5-celled, many-seeded, completely enclosed in a 

 large red, berry-like calyx. 



A small, creeping, shrubby, or almost herbaceous perennial. Stem 

 creeping extensively just beneath the surface of the ground, and sending 

 up erect branches 3 to 5 inches high. Leaves alternate, evergreen, 

 coriaceous, 1 inch long, obovate, cuneate at the base, remotely and seta- 

 ceously denticulate, 3 to 6 placed near the summit of each branch. Flowers 

 axillary, on pedicels nearly half an inch long, with 2 bracteoles near the 

 flower, mostly solitary, nodding, appearing in summer. Fruit edible, but 

 rather dry. 



Habitat. In woods, and rather dry sandy swamps ; common. 



Part Used. The leaves United States Pharmacopoeia. 



Constituents. Their most important constituent is a highly aromatic 

 volatile oil ; they also contain tannin, and the crystalline principle found 

 in uva-ursi, which see. 



Preparations. Oleum gaultherise oil of gaultheria (oil of wintergreen). 

 Spiritus gaultherise spirit of gaultheria (essence of wintergreen). United 

 States Pharmacopoeia. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Until recently, wintergreen was used 

 only as an aromatic stimulant, or as a flavoring agent. Since the introduc- 

 tion of salicylic acid as a remedy for rheumatism, however, the oil of win- 

 tergreen, which contains a large percentage of this acid, has been used 

 medicinally in the same disease. In some cases the results have been grat- 

 ifying, but, in general, the acid itself, or some of its salts, are much more 

 efficient. From a somewhat limited experience, the author finds that fre- 

 quent doses of the oil often become insupportable, owing to its high flavor, 

 and hence he has found it difficult to persist in the use of the remedy long 

 enough to secure permanent curative effects. 



ANDROMEDA. 



Andromeda Mariana Linne. Stagger-Bush. 



Description. Calyx deeply 5-parted, the segments acute. Corolla 

 ovoid-cylindrical, about one-half inch long, white, or pale-rose color, 5- 

 cleft. Stamens 10 ; filaments linear, lanceolate, doubly recurved, hairy ; 

 anthers oblong, awnless, the cells opening by a large oblique terminal ori- 

 fice. Style shorter than the corolla, tapering ; stigma obscurely lobed. 

 Capsule conical, somewhat contracted at the base, 5-celled, 5-angled, 

 many-seeded ; the sutures very prominent, at length separating from the 

 valves. 



A shrub 2 to 3 feet high, with a few erect branches ; bark gray, sprin- 

 kled with black dots. Leaves 2 to 3 inches long, oval or oblong, often 



obtuse at the apex, acute at the base, entire, coriaceous, sprinkled with 

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