380 16. ASARUM EUROPiEUM. [CL. XL 



Asaruiii Europaeum, Linn. Fl Dan. 633. Engl Bot. 1083. 

 Schk. t. 127. Sturm, Fl 2. 



Geographical Distribution. 



The geographical hmits of this plant cannot be determined 

 for want of precise information. How far Asarum Euro- 

 p(£um extends towards tlie north, may perhaps be conjectured 

 from the fact, that Linnaeus, Liljcblacl, and the Flora Danica, 

 place it in Smaland and Jutland, and Gorter in Ingria, but 

 that it is wanting in the Catalogues of the Northern, Iceland- 

 ish, and Lapland plants. It must grow, therefore, as far as 

 the 60° N. Lat., but not beyond this. Towards the south, 

 it grows in Peloponesus, where Sibthorp found it. According 

 to him, it extends as far as the 37^ N. Lat. 



Uses. 



The root, when distilled, gives out a volatile oil, which 

 smells like camphor, and has the same relations, as camphor, 

 to re-agents. On being dryed, however, it passes into the 

 atmosphere, and becomes invisible. We also obtain from it 

 a resinous extractive matter, by means of which the root, 

 when pulverized, or dissolved in wine, serves as an emetic. 

 But its efficacy is not certain, because, when the root is be- 

 come old, little good can be expected from it. The inhabi- 

 tants of Britain use the leaves, pulverized, and mixed with 

 maijoram and lavender, as a sternutatory, in doses of five 

 and six grains, in the case of violent inflammation of the eyes, 

 or headachs proceeding from catarrh. 



