FKAXINUS — ASII. 231 



(Hfimisscd from tlio Pliarmacopa'ia in 1880. Thoy are probably little lesa 

 eflicicut than the oflicial specie's. 



Coiisliliicnltt. — A. tuberosu has yielded to analysis, besides common 

 vegetable principles, two resins, and a peculiar i)rinciple jjossessing tho 

 taste of tho root. The other species have been analysed with somewhat 

 similar residts. 



PirpnratioDs. — None are official. Thoy are commonly administered in 

 decoction. Extracts and oleo-resinous preparations occnr as commercial 

 articles. 



Medical ProperUas and Uiieii. —Tho various species of asckpias have 

 been employed with diuretic, diaphoretic, expectorant, emetic, and even 

 purj^ativc eii'ect. They have also been credited, thou;^h on iiistifficicnt 

 grounds, with specific action in certain diseases. Their diuphovetic 

 effects have been found useful in acute pulmonary aitd bronchial affections 

 and in rheumati >iu. 



OLEACE^. 



Character of tlie Order. — Trees or shrubs with opposite, sim])le or com- 

 pound leaves, and perfect or unisexual ffowers. Calyx -l-tileft, sometimes 

 ob.solete. Corolla -i-cleft, or of 4 separate petals, sometimes wanting. 

 Stamens 2, rarely 8 or 4, Ovary free, '2-colled, commoidj' 2-ovuled. 

 Fruit drupaceous, baccate, capsular or samaroid. 



An order, taking its name fi'om the olive (Olea Eitropam), Avhich com- 

 prises about 20 genera and 150 species, mostly natives of temperate regions. 

 Its most important representatives in North America are found in the 

 genua 



PRAXINUS.— Asm 



Fraxinus Americana hhmc.— White Axk. 



Vcscrii'iion. — Calyx minute, 4-toothed, pen'sistent. Corolla wanting. 

 Stamens 2, rarely 3 or 4. Style single, stigma 2-cleft. Fruit a samara, flat- 

 tened, winged at the apex, 1- to 2-seeded. 



A large tree, CO to HO feet high, with gray furrowed bark, smooth gray 

 branchlets, and rusty-colored buds. Leaves 12 to 14 inches long, un- 

 equally pinnate ; leaflets 7 to 9, ovate or lauce-oblong, pointed, entire, 

 rarely denticulate, light-green above, pale and either smooth or pubescent 

 underneath. Flowers di(ccious, in crow-ded jwinicles or racemes, from the 

 axils of the preceding year's leaves. Fruit terete below, expanded above 

 into a lanceolate, oblanceolate, or wedge-linear wing. 



Halritat. — Kiver banks and margins of sv^amps from Canada to I'lorida. 



Part Uf<ed. — The inner bark — not official. 



Constituents. — Unknown. 



Prcpa rations. — It has been used in infusion and vinous tincture. 



