188 



LOBELIACE^. 



TARAXACUM. —Dandelion. 



Taraxacum Dens-leonis Desfontaines. — Dandelion. 

 Deacrvption. — Heads many-flowered ; flowers all ligulate, perfect. In- 

 volucre double ; the outer of small short scales, reflexed ; the inner of 

 longer erect scales. Eeceptacle naked. Achenia terete, oblong, ribbed, 



the apex prolonged into a slen- 

 der beak. Pappus copious, of 

 long, white, capillary bristles. 

 A biennial or perennial 

 herb, with a long, deep root. 

 Leaves all radical, oblong or 

 lanceolate, nearly entu-e, or 

 sinuate-toothed or runcinate. 

 Scapes slender, hollow, bearing 

 a single head of yellow flow- 

 ers. It blooms throughout the 

 spring and summer. 



Habitat.- — Common every- 

 where. 



Fart Used. — The root — 

 United States Pharmacopoeia. 



Constituents. — A bitter prin- 

 ciple termed taraxacin, inulin, 

 resin, saccharine matter, and 

 common vegetable constitu- 

 ents. 



Preparations. — Extractum 

 taraxaci — extract of taraxa- 

 cum ; extractum taraxaci flu- 

 idum — fluid extract of taraxacum. — United States Pharmacopceia. The ex- 

 pressed juice and decoction are also employed. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Taraxacum is slightly tonic, diuretic, and 

 aperient. It is supposed to act especially upon the liver, and is used chiefly 

 in dyspepsia associated with torpor of this organ. 



. — Taraxacum Dens-leonis. 



LOBELIACE/E. 



Character of the Order. — Herbs, with milky juice, and alternate, exstip- 

 ulate leaves. Calyx adherent to the ovary, commonly 5 lobed. Corolla 

 irregularly 5-lobed, often deeply cleft. Stamens 5, fi'ee from the corolla, 

 and united into a tube, commonly by their filaments, but always by their 

 anthers. Style 1 ; stigma often fringed. Fruit capsular, 1- or more-celled, 

 opening at the top ; seeds numerous. 



