180 COMPOSIT.E. 



Part Var.d. — Tlio Rocd— not oflRrial. 



(Joiis/ifuentH. — A \nv<^(' percentage of blftiiil fixed oil. 



Prt'iHiraliom. — Tlio oil. 



}fcilii'(d Pi'opcrlwn and Ukuh, — Sunflowoi" seeds are said to 1)0 diuretic 

 and oxpoctoranl, but there is little reason for believing them actively 

 medicinal. 



IIELENTUM.— Snke/.k-Wkki). 



Helenium autumnale Linm''. — Siicc:c-Wc<-d. 



JJencriijlion. — Heads uiany-flowertHl, radiate ; the raj'S several, in a 

 single series, 11- to ij-cloft at tho suiniuit, fertile, yellow, reficxod noon 

 after expansion. Involucre small, reilexed, the scales lini^ir or awl-shuped, 

 in 2 series. Receptacle convex, globose, or oblong, naked. Acheniu .op- 

 shapcnl, ril)bed. Pappus of C to 8 inembx'anous, 1-uerved scales. 



An erect, nearly smooth jierennial herb. Stem 1 to 3 feet high, angled, 

 brariching. Leaves laiuieolate, toothed, deciiuTent on the stems and 

 branclies. Heads corymbed, sliowy, api)earing in Septend)(>r. 



HabUal. — In moist places along streams ; connnon everywhere. 



Parta Utted. — The leaves and flowers — not official. 



CoiiiitUuent>i. — Unknown. 



PiriianUions. — Used in powder or decoction. 



Medical Propci'lit'.-^ and ('■■o'x. — The common name of the plant indicates 

 the popular estimation of it. The jJOwdenMl llowers particularly have been 

 used as an errhiue, and a decoction is said to be tonic and diaphoretic. 



MARUTA.— May-Weed. 



Maruta Cotula De Candolle. — Ufajf-Weed, Wdd Chamomile. 



Dei>eriplinn. — Heads many-flowered, radiate ; rays neutral, white, soon 

 I'eflexed ; disk-tlowers tubular, pei-fect. Involucre hemispherical, the 

 scales imbricated, shorter than the disk, with whitish mai'giiis. Recepta- 

 cle conical, clially throughout, or only at the summit. Achenia obovoid, 

 ribbed, glabrous. Pappus none. 



An annual, one-half to one foot or more in height. Leaves tripin- 

 nately divi<led, the ultimate segments very narrowly linear. Heads solitary, 

 terminating the branches. It flowers from midsunnner till late in autumn. 



Ilulntat. — Connnon everywhere in waste places. 



Part Used. — The herb — formerly official ; it was drojjped from the 

 Pharmacopoeia in 1880. 



ConstiliientH. — Volatile oil, tannic, valerianic, and oxalic acids, bitter ex- 

 tractive, etc. 



Preparnliomt. — Commonly employed in infusion. 



Medical Properties and Uxes. — ^[ay-weed has a very disagreeable odor, 

 and, when fresh, a bitter, acrid taste. Therapeutically it acts like chamo- 

 mile but is nauch less agreeable. It is seldom used except by the laity. 



