FKASERA AMEKICAN COLUMBO. 221 



SABBATIA.— American Centaury. 



Sabbatia angularis Pursli. — American Centaury. 



Description. — Calyx cleepl}^ 5-parted. Corolla deeply 5-parted, the oval 

 lobes twice the length of the calyx. Stamens 5, inserted on the short 

 corolla-tube ; anthers oblong, soon recurved. Style longer than the sta- 

 mens, decUned ; stigmas 2. Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved. 



A smooth biennial. Stem erect, 1 to 2 feet high, square, the angles 

 winged :, branches axillary, opposite. Leaves ovate, entire, somewhat cor- 

 date and clasping at the base. Flowers numerous, large and showy, rose- 

 pink, forming a large corymb ; they appear late in summer. 



Habitat. — In rich dry soil from New York to Illinois and southward. 



Part Used. — The herb — not official. 



Constituents. — This, and probably all other species of sabbatia, contains 

 a bitter principle Avhich has not, as yet, been isolated, to which their medici- 

 nal vii'tue is due. 



Preparations. — Commonly administered in infusion. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — American centam-y is a simple bitter 

 tonic. It was, in early days, used in intermittent and remittent fevers, 

 and probably, like other agents of the same class, sometimes with curative 

 effect. At present it is seldom employed, though it might doubtless be 

 occasionally beneficial as a promoter of the appetite, and an aid to diges- 

 tion in cases of debility and in convalescence. Several other indigenous 

 sj)ecies are said to possess similar or identical j)roperties. 



FRASERA. — American Columbo. 



Frasera Carolinensis Walter. — American Columbo. 



Description. — Calyx 4-parted, persistent. CoixsUa rotate, 4-parted, the 

 lobes oblong, mucronate, each with a depressed fringed gland on the upper 

 face. Stamens 4, alternate with the lobes of the corolla. Style persistent ; 

 stigmas spreading. Capsule oval, compressed, 1-celled, 2-valved ; seeds 

 few, large, borne on the margins of the valves. 



A smooth perennial herb, with a large sjjin die-shaped root. Stem cylin- 

 drical, erect, 3 to 8 feet high, with leaves and branches mostly in whorls 

 of four. Leaves sessile, lance-oblong, the lowest spatulate. Flowers 

 greenish-yellow, dotted with purple, in cymes disposed in a large pyram- 

 idal panicle, appearing in midsummer. 



Habitat. — In rich dry soil, from Southern New York to Georgia and 

 westward. 



Part Used. — The root — formerly official, but dropped from the Pharma- 

 copoeia in 1880. 



Constituents. — Gentisic acid, and gentiopicrin, both of which are found 



