DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF FLOAVERS. 211 



held in high estimation medicinally ; but it has no claim 

 to beauty. The medicinal virtues of the plant reside 

 chiefly in the leaves, and the most efficient mode of 

 exhibiting it, is by means of a simple decoction ; its pow- 

 ers are those of a tonic. The reputation of it was, in old 

 times, so great, that there were those who believed it 

 would set bones ; hence the common name. That it is a 

 very bitter dose to take, I very well know by experience. 



EUPHORBIA.— Spurge. 



[Named after Euphorbus, who was a physician to Juba, King of Maurita- 

 nia, anJ first used this plant in medicine.] 



This is a very extensive genus of curious, grotesque 

 plants, many of them j^oisonous. Among them are some 

 splendid hot-house plants. They are all milky, mostly 

 herbaceous ; some are leafless, some are armed with 

 jDrickles. 



Euphorbia COrollata, — Flowering Spurge. — This is one 

 of the most elegant species peculiar to the United States ; 

 a perennial, with subdivided umbels of conspicuous 

 white flowers, and narrowish, oblong obtuse leaves. 

 This plant is not uncommon in the sandy fields of the 

 Middle States, and is in flower in June and July. Prop- 

 agated by divisions of the root. 



E. Lathyris. — Caper Spurge. — A half-hardy biennial, 

 from England, of handsome appearance, with inconspic- 

 uous flowers ; from May to September. From three to 

 four feet high. The plants will stand the winter without 

 protection, but are oftentimes entirely destroyed. A few 

 plants should be taken up and placed in a dry cellar, and 

 planted out in the spring. It has seed pods about the 

 size and color of Caper buds, and are said to be some- 

 times substituted for that pickle. Eaten in any quantity, 

 they must prove highly deleterious. 



