LOGANIACEAE GENTIAN ACEAE 689 



or filiform, 4-cleft; fruit a capsule, flattened, seeds winged. A small genus of 

 2 species, one in North America and the second in Asia. 



Gelsemium sempervirens (L.) Ait. Yellow Jessamine. 



A well known poisonous woody vine climbing over shrubs and trees to the 

 height of thirty feet or more; with opposite or entire ovate or lanceolate leaves, 

 shining and evergreen; flowers showy and fragrant in short axillary clusters, 

 yellow. 



Distribution. This plant grows in woods and low grounds from eastern 

 Virginia to Florida, and as far west as Mexico to Guatemala. 



Poisonous properties. It contains a poisonous alkaloid, gelsemin C 24 H 2g 

 N 2 O 4 . The root is frequently used in medicine and poisoning has been caused 

 by overdoses. It is used in febrile and inflammatory infections, and on the 

 nervous system it is an antispasmodic sedative. It is, however, a powerful 

 drug and should be used with great caution. In overdoses it produces nausea, 

 pain in brows and eye-balls, dilation of the pupils, paralysis and dimness of 

 vision. When overdoses have been administered, stomach pump and coffee 

 should be used at once in conjunction with whiskey. Gelsemin is a colorless, 

 crystalline, bitter principle. This plant also contains the amorphous, bitter 

 alkaloid, gelseminin C 22 H 25 (OH)N 2 O 2 - 



Dr. Winslow gives the toxicological effects on animals as follows : Muscular 

 weakness, especially in the fore legs, staggering gait and falling. These symp- 

 toms are followed by convulsive movements of the head, fore legs, and some- 

 times of the hind legs. The respiration is slow and feeble, temperature reduced, 

 and there is sweating. Death occurs because of respiratory failure. Morphine 

 subcutaneously has proved a good antidote. 



Blyth records that 10 mgrs. killed a frog in 4 hours, 8 mgrs. killed a cat 

 in 15 minutes; 1/6 grain killed a woman in 7 l /t hours. 



GENTIANACEAE. Gentian Family. 



Smooth, bitter herbs with opposite and sessile entire mostly simple leaves 

 without stipules; flowers regular and perfect in clusters or solitary; calyx per- 

 sistent, 4-12 lobed; corolla gamopetalous, 4-12 lobed or parted, mostly persistent 

 but withered; stamens as many as the lobes of the corolla, alternate, inserted 

 in the throat of the corolla; pistil with a 1-celled or partly 2-celled ovary; 

 ovules numerous, anatropous or amphitropous ; fruit a capsule, mostly dehiscent 

 by 2 valves; seeds small, with a minute embryo and fleshy endosperm. 



About 600 species of wide distribution. Several plants of the family are 

 used in medicine. The American centaury or rose pink (Sabatia angularis} 

 furnishes a simple bitter tonic formerly much used in intermittent fevers. An 

 allied species contains the glucoside ery thro centaur in, C 0? H 24 O 8 . The Chirata 

 (Swertia Chirata} a bitter tonic, contains the glucoside chiratin C 06 H 4g O 15 , a 

 very bitter substance, and ophelic acid C 13 H 20 O 10 . The root of the American 

 columbo (Frasea carolinensis') is used as an emetic and cathartic or as a tonic 

 The F. speciosa is common in the Rocky Mountains. Several species of the 

 gentian, as Gentiana Andrewsii, G. puberula, are used as bitter tonics. 



The gentians are largely used in the preparation of the so-called stock 

 foods, the chief constituents of the root being a bitter crystalline glucoside, 

 gentiopicrin C 28 H 30 O 10 and gentisic acid C 14 H 10 O 5 . The plants act as stomach- 

 ics and bitter tonics. 



