362 GOOSEFOOT. 



The perianth is single, inferior, deeply divided into five, ovate, 

 concave, permanent segments, membranous at the edges. The 

 stamens are five, with subulate filaments, and roundish two- 

 lobed anthers. The germen is globose, supporting two short 

 styles, terminated by obtuse stigmas. The fruit is globose, 

 depressed, clasped, but not entirely enveloped by the persistent 

 calyx, and contains a single lenticular seed. Plate 21, fig. 4, 

 (a) the flower ; (6) the fruit. 



This plant grows in waste places and near walls in the vici- 

 nity of towns, especially near the sea, and is'a native of Europe, 

 from the south of Italy to Sweden. It flowers in August. 



The generic name is derived from %■-;)', yji'''^^> f' goose, and 

 Ttousy a foot, in allusion to the shape of the leaves in some of 

 the species. It has also been called Garosmus and Vulvaria* 

 from its fetid smell. 



Qualities. — The odour of the recent plant is extremely 

 fetid, resembling that of putrid fish ; the taste is herba- 

 ceous and nauseous. It gives a strong impregnation to water 

 both by infusion and distillation ; its active matter is also 

 extracted by alcohol. It contains a large portion of subcar- 

 bonate of ammonia and nitrate of potass, albumen, osmazome, 

 an aromatic resin, a bitter matter, and acetate, phosphate, 

 and tartrate of potass. Chevallier mentions the remarkable 

 fact that it exhales pure ammonia during its whole existence. 

 The ashes yield a large quantity of potash. 



Medicinal Properties and Uses. — This plant was celebrated 

 by many of our old physicians for its efficacy in hysterical 

 diseases. Needham f recommends the leaves to be made into 

 a conserve with sugar as a remedy in hysteria, and Fuller J with 

 the same intention prepared his Electuarivm hystericum, with 

 four ounces of the conserve and forty-eight drops of oil of 

 amber ; a piece to be taken the size of a chestnut. Tournefort § 

 commends a spirituous tincture of the plant. Dale || has the 

 following observations on it, " uterina est, menses provocat, 

 foetum mortuum secundinamque expellit, in hystericis multum 



* " Vulvaria allicit canes ut mingant in eum qui portat." — Linnaus. 



I In Kaii Hist. Plant, vol. i. p. 198. 



+ Pharmacopceia Extemporanea, (ed. v.) 1740, p. 109. 

 § Hist, des Plantes de Pari.s, torn. i. p. 30. 



II Pharmacologia, p. ^5. 



