76 MONADELPHIA. PENTANDRIA. 



Jj. INFI.ATA. EU. Branching; hirsute; leaves lance-ovate, serrate; racemes leaf j; capsules inflated. 



Fu/go— Eye-bright. Indian Tobacco. Puke-weed. 



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



Jlab- Pastures; roadsides, &c. common. 12 to 16 inches high: flowers palfe blue, smajl- 



Ohs. The lactescent juice of this species is highly acrid; and the plant is said to possess very active pro- 

 perties — being cathartic? emetic, and narcotic, according to the dose. The tincture of the leaves has been 

 found servicenble in cases of asthma, &c. in the northern States; but I believe it has rarely been used in this 

 part of the country . 



Li. syphilitica. Ell Simple; sub-hirsute; leaves lance-oval, serrulate; calyx hispid, sinuses reflexcd. 

 Fl. Middle of August, and after. Fr. mat. Beginning of October. 



Hob. Swamps, and low grounds: frequent. 1 to4 feet high: flowers bnt;ht blue, large. 



Ohs. A handsome, showy species; — the flowers are sometimes tinged with purple, and occasionally, 

 though rarely, are milk white. This plant was one of the Indian nostrums, which formerly attracted so much 

 notice; and was reputed to be a remedy for syphilis — whence its specific name:— but, like most of the In- 

 dian remedies, it lost its character as soon as reason and observation were substituted for blind faith. 



Li. caedinalis. Ell. Simple; leaves lanceolate, denticulate; raceme lub-secund; stamens long. 



FuZg-o— Cardinal flower. 



Fl. Last of July till October. Fr- mat. Middle of October. 



Hub. Low grounds: along rivulets, &c. frequent. 1^ to 3 feet high: flowers bright crimson- 



Obs. This truly superb plant would doubtless be cultivated in our flower gardens with great care, if it 

 ■were less common. It is said to be endued with vermifuge properties; but I believe it is only on Indian 

 authority. 



The genus Lobelia does not exactlj' accord with the prevailing character of the Class Monadelphia; but 

 it is, perhaps, arranged here with as much propriety as it could be in any othey class. 



OBBEH, DECANDI^IA. 



258. GERANIUM. Nutt. Gen. 574. 

 [Gr. Geranos, a crane; the persistent style resembling the beak of that bird-] 



Cal. 5 leaved. Cor. petals 5, regular. Stigmas 5. Ai^ils 5, 1 seeded, mucronate. 



Q. maculatum. Ell. Erect; leaves 5 parted, segments cuneate-obovate; petals twice aslong as the calj'x. 



Fw/go— Crow-''oot. Spotted Crane's-bill. Wild Geranium. Alum-roct. 



J=7. Beginning of May, and after. Fr- mat. Middle of June, and after. 



Hab- Woodlands; field-sides, Sac common. 12 to 18 inches high: flowers reddish purple, large. 



Obs. The root of this plant is a pretty valuable astringent; and has been much used in diarrhoeas, hemor- 

 rhage, &c. See Barton's Collections; Coxe's Medical Musemn, &c. 



G. cakolinianum. EU. Diffuse; leaves 7 parted; peduncles sub fascicled; petals the length of the calyx. 



Fl. Latter end of May. Fr. mat. Last of June. 



Hab. Brandy wine; west side, above Painter's bridge: rare- 12 to IS inches long: flowers white, small. 



05s. This species is very rare, and apparently a stranger, jn this vicinity. The variety with red-veined 

 flowers, grows in great abundance about Danville, Columbia county. I have not seen \t here. 



Ocj^ G. DiSKECTtTM, P/i. (G- PUsitLUM, Muhl ?) is abundant along the Susquehansa, near M'Call'sferrj; 

 but has not been found hereabouts 8c|=Pursh is mistaken in saying that the G. robertianx^m, of this 

 country, does notposseFS the heavy scent which belonss to the European plant. I observed that peculiar 

 odor in a very high dtgree, in specimens which I collected at West Point, N. Y. I have not met with the 

 plant in this State. 



259. OXALIS. Nutt. Gen. 420. 

 [Gr. Oxysi sharp, cr sour; in reference to the acid quality of the plant.] 

 Oal. 5 leaved. CoH. petals 5, claws connected. .Sfam. alternately shorter. Caps. 5 celled, 5 angled. 



O. viOLACEA. Ell. Rootbulbous; scape umbelliferous; flowers nodding; styles shorter than the stapiens| 



Fu/ffo— Violet Wood Sorrel. 



Fl- Latter end of May. Fr. mat. Beginning of July. 



Hab. Rich, shaded grounds: woodlands: frequent. 5 to 9 inches high: flowers purple. 



O. C0RN1CUI.ATA. Ell- Pubcscent; stems sub'-procumbent, radicating; umbels the length of the petioles. 



Fl. Middle of May, and after. Fr. mat. Middle of June, and after. 



Hab. Fields; and woodlands: common. 3 to 6 inches long: flowers yellow. 



O; sTUiCTA. Ell. Hairy; stem erect, branching; umbels longer than the petioles, 

 Fu/sTP— Common Wood Sorrr !. 



