COIIPTONIA SWEET-FERX. 251 



of calyx and corolla, the solitary flowers Lcint,' placed each under a scaly 

 bract, with a pair of bractlets. Stamens 2 to 8. Ovary with 2 to 4 scales 

 at its base ; stigmas 2. Fruit an ovoid nut or drupe, covered with whitish 

 wax. 



A shrub, 3 to 8 feet high. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at the 

 base, entire or somewhat toollied toward the apex, shining and resiijous- 

 dotted both, sides, fragrant, appearing late in Ajjril before the flowers. 

 Nuts scattered or clustered along the last year's branches, sometimes per- 

 sisting for two or three years. 



Ilabltut. — In sandy or rocky places on or along the coast. 



Parts Used. — The bark and wax — not otticial. 



ConstUnenlx. — Besides common vegetable jn-inciples, there arc in bay- 

 berry bark an acrid resin, an astringent resin, and a peculiar aciid aeid, 

 termed vu/ru-iNic acid. Myrtle wax in mass, after separation from the 

 fruit, is greenish-gr!;y in color, with a consistence intermediate between 

 that of bees.wax and tallow. It burns with a white flame and a fragrant 

 odor. 



IWparafioDfi. — There are no official preparations. Tlie bark has been 

 used chiefly in powder and in decoction. 



3Iedical I'ropaiica and Uses. — Bayberry bark is an acrid stimulant 

 and astringent. In moderate doses it produces a sensaticni of heat in the 

 stomach ; in large doses, nausea and vomiting. The pcwder is very irri- 

 tating to the nasal macous membranes, a^nl produces violent sneezing. It 

 has been employed to some extent in a great variety of diseased conditions, 

 but without acujuiring rciiutation in any. Bigolow stated, sixty years ago, 

 as the result of his investigations, that it is " more interesting iu a chemi- 

 cal than a medical point of view ; " and his statement, in the present state 

 of our knowledge, scarcely requires comment or revision. 



COMPTONI A. — Sweet-Fehn. 



Comptonia asplenifolia Alton.— /S'^tr^T-lTrt, 



Description. — Flowers monrocious and diajcious. Staminate flowers iu 

 cylindrical catkins with imbricated, concave, reniform, acuminate, 1-flowered 

 scales ; stamens 3 to G. Pistillate flowers in egg-shaped, biuT-like catkins ; 

 ovary surrounded by 8 long, linear, awl-shaped scales, which are persistent 

 around the ovoid-oblong, smooth, l-se(>ded nut. 



A low shrub, 1 to 3 feet high, slender, branched, somewhat hairy. 

 Leaves alternate, linear-lanceolate, 3 to 4 inches long by lialf an inch broad, 

 deeply pinnatilid with many roiuided lobes, resend)ling those of a fern. 

 This resemblance, together with the fragrance of the leaves, has given the 

 plant the popular name of .'<ircii-ft'rn. 



Ifabildt. — In dry sterile or sandy soil irim Virginia to Wisconsin and 

 northward. 



