PENTANDRIA. MONOGYiNIA. 51 



T. PERFOLIATUM. Ell Leaves oval, acuminate, abruptly narrowed at base, co!iaat«; flowers axiliary- 

 Synoh. .T- majus. Mr- Fii/g-o— Gentian . Horse-Gentian. Dr. Tinker's weed. Wild Coffee. 



Fl. Latter end of May. Fi\ mat. Beginning of September. 



JIab. Rich, hilly grounds; along: fence-rows, &c. frequent. 3 to 4 feet high: flowers dark purple. 



Obs. This plant is reputed medicinal, as an emetic, and cathartic; and, in small do'=;es, ns a toui.-- It 

 was a favorite medicine with the Aborigines of this part of the country. I well recollect the la:-t Li(li:iii 

 Doctress, of the Delaware tribe, in this vifinity,— who seemed to consider it as a sort of Panacea, and 

 prescribed it in all cases of disease, without distinction. Mc'.srs. Pursh and Elliott speak of the Berry as 

 beins dark purple; but I have always found it, when ripe, to be of a bright orange colo-r. The llower^ 

 considerably resemble those of the Calycanthus, or sweet-scented shrub, in appearance. 



C. Flowers Incomplete. 

 315* For QuERiA, See class Triandria. 



102. NYSSA. Nutt. Gen. 7SS. 

 [Obscure: Linnitus says he so named it, "because it grows in the waters.'"] 



Polygamous: Male— Stamens 5, sometimes 8, 10, and 12, seated around a peltate gland. 

 Hermaph. Cal. 5 parted. Cor. 0. Drupe inferior. Nut 1 seeded. 



N. SYLVATICA. Marshall. Leaves obovate, entire, acute at both ends; petioles, mid-rib.';, & margins villous. 



Sgnon. N villosa. 3Ix. Ph. &c. Fu^S:o— Gum. Sour Gum. Black Gum. 



FL LaUar end of May. Fr. mat. Last of September- 



Hab. Woodlands generally — especially in low, moist grounds: common. 30 to 60 feet higli: flowers greenisiJ, 



Ob.t. The woody fibres of this tree are remarkably interlocked, so as to render it very difficult to be 

 split; on which account it is much used in making naves, (or /i??6s, as they are termed,) for carriage- 

 wheels, and also hatter's blocks. The younger trees afibrd a fine shade, when growing solitary; and, ia 

 the fall of the year, the leaves add much to the picturesque appearance of tlie country, by changing to a 

 bright crimson color. 



ORDER, DIGYNXA. 



A. Flowers Ijvierior. a. Corolla monopctalous. 



103. APOCYNUM. Nutt. Gen. 23S. 



[Gr. Apo, far from, or distant, and Kyoi^, Kynos, a dog; it being thought destructive of that anirnal.J 



Cal. 5 cleft. Cor. half 5 cleft. .^nf/i«rs cohering to the stigma. FcZ/ic/es 2, Ion?, linear. .Seeds comose> 



A. ANDROsiEMiFOLUTM. Ph. Leavesovate; cymes mostly terminal; limb of the corolla spreading. 



ru/go— Dog's-bane. Tutson-leaved Dog's-bane. 



Fl. Latter end ot June, -Fr. mat. Middle of September. 



Hab. Borders of woods, fields, and meadows: frequent. 2 to 3 feet high: flowers pale red, striped. 



A. CANNABiNUM. Ph. Leavcs oblong-oval, acute at each end; cymes paniculate; limb of the corolla erecl- 



Sxjnon. A. pubescens.' Ell. r«/g-o— Indian Hemp. 



Fl. Beginning of August. Fr. mat. 



Hab. Borders of woods; Barrens: somewhat rare. 2 to 4 feet high: flowers greenish white. 



Obs. There is some variety in the leaves of my specimens; some being oblong-oval, and others lanceo- 

 late and tapering at base: or, possibly, I may have blended the two -species (A. cannabinuin, and A. pu- 

 bescens,) which Mr. Elliott remarks have hitherto been confounded. But if they be really distinct, they 

 closely resemble each other in liabit. The pubescence is but slig^ht in any of those which 1 possess. 



104. ASCLEPIAS. Nutt. GeP. 213. 



[The Greek name of JEsculapius; to whom this genus is dedicated.] 



Cor. mostly reflected- Nectary 5 parted; segments ovate, cucullate, a\ ith a little horn projecting from eacli 



§ 1. Leaves opposite. 



A. SYRiAfA. Ph. Stem simple; leaves lanceolate-oblonj, tomentose beneath; umbels somewhat noddiiig. 



l?-M;go_Silk-weed. Wild Cotton. Milk-weed. Swailow-wort. 



Fl. Latter end of June. Fr- mat: Beginning of September. 



Hab- Fence-rows, &c. frequent. 3 to 4 feet high: flowers dingy purple; follicles muricate. 



06s. Schoepf says the young shoots, cooked like asparagus, may be eaten without injury; and that the 

 Canadians prepare a brown sugar from the expressed juice of the flowers, which is not ungrateful to tiic 

 taste. 



