POLYANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 57 



188. ARGEMONE. Nutt. Gen. 462. 



[Gr. ^/-g-^jna, a disease of the eye; supposed to be cured by the plant.] 



Cal. 3 leaved, caducous. Cor. petals 6. Stigma sessilcj capitate, lobed- Cap.'s. semi-valveu. 



A. MEXicANA. Ell. Leaves pinnatifid-lobate, spinose; flowers axillary; capsules 5 valved. 

 f^u/g-o— Prickly Poppy. Horned Poppy. 



Fl. Beginning of July, and after. Fr. mat. Latter end of August, and after. 



Hab. Gardens, and cultivated lots: not common. 1 to 3 feet high: flowers yellow, large. 



Obs. This is a stranger here j but is becoming gradually naturalized, although some pains are taken to 

 root it out. 



189. SANGUINARIA. Nutt. Gen. 464. 

 [Lat. Sanguis, blood; alluding to the color of the juice of the plant.] 

 Cal- 2 leaved, caducous. Cor. petals about 8. Stig. sessile, 2 grooved. Caps, oblong, tapering at each end, 



S. canadensis. Ell. Leaves subreniform, sinuate-lobed, glaucous beneath; scape 1 flowered. 



Fu/gfo— Red-root. Blood-root. Turmeric. Puccoon. Indian Paint. Blood-wort. 



Fl. Beginning of April. Fr. mat. Middle of June. 



Bab. Rich woodlands; meadows, &c. very common. 6 to 10 inches high: flowers white. 



Obs. The capsules burst and disappear suddenly, when the seeds are ripe. The root is emetic, and 

 otherwise medicinal. See Dr. Doioney's Inaugural Thesis, 1S03, Philad. Barton's Collections, &c. 



IDO. PODOPHYLLUM. Nutt. Gen. 4S5. 

 [Gr. Pons, podos, a foot, and P/ti//Zo7i,aleaf; its leaf resembling the web-foot of a duck.] 



Cal. 3 leaved. Cor. petals about 9. Stig. sessile, plicate, crenate. Berry oval, 1 celled, many seeded. 



P. PELTATUM. Ell. I..eaves peltate-palmate, single, or two on a forked stem; flower solitary. 



f'^u/go— Hog-apple. May-apple. Wild Mandrake. Duck's-foot 



Fl. Beginning of May. Fr. mat. Latter end of August. 



Hab. Rich woodlands; meadow banks, in patches: common. 12 to IS inches high: flowers white. 



Obs. The stem is often simple, bearing but one leaf,— and then produces no flower. The flower is only 

 to be found on the two leavr.i planXs, situated in the fork, on a short, slightly curved peduncle. The fruit 

 is about the size and shape of a Lime; and when ripe, is esculent— but is not esteemed. The root affords 

 a good substitute for Jalap, as a cathartic— (expertus loquor— ) and not " as Ipecacuanha,''— as Pursh 

 erroneously states. 



191- ISUPHAR. Nutt. Gen. 468. 

 [Gr. Nouphar; a name of obscure meaning.] 



Cal. 5 or6 leaved. Cor. petals numerous; dorsally nectariferous. Stig. sessile, radiated. Caps, carnosc 



N. ADVENA. Ph. Leaves erect, cordate, lobes divaricate; calyx 6 leaved; stigma 13 rayed; capsule sulcate . 

 Synon. Nymphaja advena. Willd-Mx. Muhl. Fu/g-o- Spatter-dock, or Splatter-dock. Yellow Pond-lily. 

 Fl Middle of May till October. Fr. mat. September, and after. 



Hab. Ponds, and still waters; Brandywine: frequent 1 to 2 feet high: flowers yellow. 



Obs. The root is creeping— the old ones sometimes very large— with numerous radicles on the under side, 

 and bearing the marks of the petioles of former years on the upper side. 



192. ASARUM. Nutt. Gen. 724, 



["Vocatur ab a (Gr.) privative, et sau-o, orno; quasi planta nulli ornamento isserviens." Boerh.'i 



Cal. S or 4 cleft, superior, persistent. Cor. 0. -dsfficrsadnate to the sides of the filaments. Caps. 6 cel'eu. 



A. canadense. Ell. Leaves broad-reniform, in pairs; calyx woolly, deeply 3 parted, reflexed. 



Vvlgo— Wild Ginger. Colt's-foot. Asarabacca. White Snake-root. 



Fl. Middle of May. F: mat. Middle of June. 



Hab. Rich woodlands: frequent. 8 to 12 inches high: flowers dmgy purple. 



06s. The flower is solitary, on a short peduncle in the fork of the leaves; and usually buried under old 

 decayed leaves, &c. so as to escape common observation. The root is strongly aromatic, and may perhaps 

 possess medical virtues. Professor Barton, in his Coilecdons for a Materia Mcdicn, says "the expressed 

 .iuice of the fresh leaves is a powerful emetic." — I cannot see the propriety of transferring this genus to th» 

 i'liss Gitnandria, as Messrs. Pursh and Nultall have done. It is so distinct in habit from plants of thu"; 

 rlass. that I am confident a student would never think of lookins for it there. 



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