WATERLEAF FAMILY. Hydrophyllaceae. 





There are several kinds of Eriodictyon, shrubs, with 

 alternate, toothed, leathery, evergreen leaves, which are 

 netted-veined, generally green and smooth on the upper 

 side and whitish and downy on the under, with leaf -stalks; 

 the flowers in coiled clusters; the corolla more or less 

 funnel-form or salver-form, without appendages in the 

 tube; the stamens and the two distinct styles not pro- 

 truding; the capsule small, with few seeds. The name is 

 from the Greek for "wool" and "net," in allusion to the 

 netted wool on the under surface of the leaves. 



A branching shrub, from two to six 



Yerba Santa, feet h j h with thickish leaves with toothed 



Mountain Balm . , 



Eriodictyon or wav Y margins, from two to six inches 



Californicum long, dark and shiny on the upper side, 

 White, lilac pa le with close down and netted-veined on 



Summer the un( ierside. The flowers are not 



Cal., Oreg., Wash. . t s . -11 



especially pretty, about half an inch long, 



with white, lilac, or purple corollas, and are slightly sweet 

 scented. The leaves are strongly and pleasantly aromatic 

 when they are crushed and were used medicinally by the 

 Indians, hence the Spanish name, meaning "holy herb." 

 Cough-syrup is made from them and also substitutes for 

 tobacco and hops. This grows on dry hills and is very 

 variable, being sometimes a handsome shrub. There are 

 intermediate forms between this and the next, E. tomen- 

 tosum, which are difficult to distinguish. 



A large leafy shrub, about five feet 



ild mUCh handsomer than the last ' 

 Eriodictyon with velvety, light green branches and 



tomentdsum very velvety, purplish twigs. The beauti- 



Lilac ful leaves are veined like chestnut leaves 



Spring ^ and made Q f the thickest, softest, sea- 



green or gray velvet, like a mullein leaf in 

 texture, but much smoother and softer. The flowers are 

 three-quarters of an inch long, with a pale pinkish-lil 

 corolla, shading to purple and white, downy on the outsic 

 and form quite handsome clusters, mixed with pretty gra 

 velvet buds, the lilac of the flowers harmonizing well wi 

 the gray foliage. This grows in quantities on Point Lorn 

 and other places along the coast, from San Diego to San 

 Barbara. There are several similar varieties. 



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