188 



LOBELIACEiE. 



TARAXACUM Dandelion. 



Taraxacum Dens-leonis Desfontainos. — Dandelion. 

 Dei^criplion. — Heads many-flowered ; flowers all ligulato, perfect. In- 

 volucre double ; the outer of small short scales, rcflexed ; the inner of 



longer erect scales, lleceptacle naked. 





Achenia terete, oblong, ribbed, 

 the apex jirolonged into a slen- 

 der beak. Pai)puH copious, of 

 long, white, cajiillary bristles. 

 A biennial or jierennial 

 herb, with a long, deep root. 

 Leaves all radical, oblong or 

 lanceolate, nearly entire, or 

 sinuate-toothed or runcinate. 

 Scapes slender, hollow, bearing 

 a single head of yellow flow- 

 ers. It blooms throughout the 

 spring and sunnner. 



J/uhilat. — Common every- 

 where. 



J 'art. rsed. — Thc root— 

 United States Pharmacopoeia. 



Co7istituenls. — Abittev prin- 

 ciple termed turaxacin, inulin, 

 resin, sa(!cliarine matter, and 

 common vegetable constitu- 

 ents. 



Preparations. — Extractum 

 taraxaci — extract of taraxa- 

 cum ; extractum taraxaci flu- 

 idum— fluid extract of taraxacum. — United Stales Pharmacopma. The ex- 

 pressed juice and decoction are also employed. 



Medical Projierties and Uses. — Taraxacum is slightly tonic, diuretic, and 

 aperient. It is supposed to act especially upon the liver, and is used chiefly 

 in dyspepsia associated with torpor of this organ. 



Fio. 130. — Taraxacum Dens IConia. 



LOBELIACE>E. 



Character of the Order. — Herbs, with milky juice, and alternate, exstip- 

 ulate leaves. Calyx adherent to the ovary, commonly 5 lobed. Corolla 

 irregularly 5-lobed, often deeply cleft. Stamens 5, free fi'om the corolla, 

 and united into a tube, commonly by their filaments, but always by their 

 anthers. Style 1 ; stigma often fringed. Fruit capsular, 1- or more-celled, 

 opening at the top ; seeds numerous. 



