170 MEDICAL PLANTS. 



MYKICA CERIFERA BAYBERRY. 



Natural order, Myricacese Linnsean class, Dioecia Order, 

 Tetrandria. 



Gen. Char. Staminate flowers with four to six short erect 

 stamens, having large four-valved anthers ; fertile flowers ; 

 ovary one, superior ; styles two spreading ; stigmas two acute ; 

 drupe one celled, one seeded. Spec. Char. Leaves cuneate, 

 lanceolate acute, sterile ameuts lax ; scales acute; fruit round, 

 naked. This plant is found in dry woods and fields, growing 

 from three to six feet in height, and covered profusely with 

 leaves. It blooms in May. The specific name alludes to the 

 wax-bearing property of the fruit, which, boiled in water, 

 gives one third its weight of bayberry tallow. A tea is made of 

 the bark, and used freely in diarrhoaa and cholera morbus. 

 *6uuff is also prepared from the bark by finely powdering it, 

 and baking. 



EUPATORIUM PERFOLIA.TOM BONESET. 



Natural order, Compositae Linntean class, Syngenesia Or- 

 der, Equalis. 



Gen. Char. Involucre imbricate, oblong ; style exserted, 

 cleft half way down ; receptacle naked ; pappus scabrous. 

 Spec. Char. Leaves connate perfoliate, oblong-serrate, ru- 

 gose ; stem villose. It grows from two to four feet in height. 

 It flowers in dense, depressed, terminal corymbs, formed of 

 smaller corymbs, each containing from twelve to fifteen florets 

 of a dull whitish color. The leaves, stems, and stalk are of a 

 grayish green color. The seeds are black, oblong with acute 

 bases, and pappus with scabrous hairs. It is a fall plant, blos- 

 soming from August to October, and is found near streams, 

 swamps, and marshes. It is a valuable family plant ; much 

 used to sweat, vomit, purge, and give tone to the system. The 



