ANEMONE — WIND-FLOWER. 59 



Parts Vscd. — The fresh leaves, flowers, and stem — not official. 



Cu nut Uuc Ills, — Tlio above-described species of clematis, as well as many 

 others, both iudigeuous and foreign, jjossess an acrid principle whose ex- 

 act nature is as yet undetermined. It is of a volatile character, however, 

 and is dissipated by heat, and in the process of drying the jjlants. 



PrcparatioHH. — Alcohol is a solvent for the active jjrincipki of clematis, 

 and an alcoholic tincture of the fresh plant the best lireparation. 



Medical PropcrtifH and t'scs. — Clematis appears to be little more than 

 an acrid irritant. Applied externally, the leaves of some species strongly 

 irritate and even vesi(!ate the skin. Administered internally, in small 

 doses, it may produce diuresis and diaphoresis ; in large doses, active 

 purgation. It has been employed in syphilis, scrofula, chronic rheuma- 

 tism, etc., but without ever attaining an established reputation. It is used 

 at i^resent almost exclusively Ijy homoeopathic practitioners. 



ANEMONi;.— WiND-Fi.owEB. 



Character of the GenuK — Calyx : sepals many, distinct, petaloid. Corolla 

 none, or with petals resembling abortive stamens. Stamens numerous, 

 distinct. Ovaries numerous, distinct. Achenia pointed or tailed, llat^ 

 teued, not ribbed. 



Perennial herbs, with radical leaves, those of the stem two or three 

 together, forming an involucre some distance below the flower. 



Anemone patens Linne, var. Nuttal liana Gray. — Patiquc-Floiver. 



l)c!icrij)lion. — Calyx: sepals 0, purplish or white, l.V in(^h long, spread- 

 ing. Stem simple, erect, naked except the involucre, bearing a single ter- 

 minal llower which develops in advance of the leaves. Leaves ternately 

 divided, the lateral divisions 2-parted, the middle one stalked, S-j^arted, 

 the .segments deeply once or twice ch 't into narrowly linear and acute 

 lobes. Lobes of the involucre like those of the leaves, united at the base 

 into a shallow cup. The entire plant is villous Avith long silky hairs. It 

 blooms in March and April. 



Habitat. — In prairie regions from Illinois westward and northward. 



Part U>-:('d. — The herb — United States Pharmacopami. The official name, 

 PaUatilla, includes the herb not only of this plant but of .1. pulmlilla and 

 A. ■pratenf^i.H also. 



Cunxtiluejds. — All parts of the fre.sh plant are extremely acrid ; applied 

 to the skin it causes irritation and even vesication. This acrid property 

 in diminished or wholly lost by drying and long keeping ; hence to be effi- 

 cacious it should be used as fresh as possible, or at least jjreparations made 

 from the recent plant should be employed. The acridity of pulsatilla is 

 due to the presence of aneninnin, a crystalline substance which is exceed- 

 ingly liable to change and is destroyed by heat. 



Preparations. — None are official. An alcoholic tinctui-e of the fresh 

 l)lant is reliable. 



