POLYOALACEJi. S3 



The Polygalaccœ have tolerably diverse properties ; ^ some are milky, 

 others bitter. Several are rich in tannin. A great number are 

 supposed to have a special acrid principle called polijgaline or 

 sénéginCj of which we shall speak later. The indigenous species of 

 Poly gala wei'e formerly much used in country medicines, but very 

 little at the present day. Their name Milkworts (Fr. Laitiers) 

 comes doubtless from the whitish colour of their juice ; and it is 

 probably the presence of this juice which has led the vulgar to 

 believe that the Folggalas promote the secretion of milk in women 

 and cattle. P. vulgaris ^ is considered a tonic stomachic, sudorific, 

 and slightly emetic ; it has a slightly aromatic acrid taste, scarcely 

 bitter, with a faint not disagreeable odour. It is said to be used 

 in adulterating green tea, and has been recommended in affections of 

 the lungs and kidneys, P. amara ^ has the same properties biit 

 stronger. It is especially good in cases of chronic bronchitis, 

 catarrh, and htemoptysis ; it is very bitter. P. vulgaris is often 

 siibstituted for it in commerce. In the Palatinate P. calcarea^ is 

 especially used. In the United States P. rubella '^ serves the same 

 purpose ; it is decidedly bitter. In small doses an infusion of it 

 is tonic, digestive and stimulant; in large doses it is diaj)horetic. The 

 most active of the medicinal species appears to be P. Senega ® or 

 P. of Virginia, a perennial species with large twisted roots, greyish, 

 rough, and hard, terminated above by a deformed tuber covered with 

 little buds longitudinally traversed by a prominent rib. Its taste is 

 at fii'st faint, then acrid, sharp, irritant, and nauseous, provokiug 



1 ExDL. £«c/((rj(?. 569. — Lindl. i^/. Jlft'A 125 ; 95.— Gken. ot Godu. loc. cit. 196. — P. amara 

 Veij. KiHijd. 377. — Gum. Droi/. Slmpl. éd. 6, iii. Reichk. (ncc L.). — P. amarella Coss. et Germ. 

 655. — RosEXTH. Si/ii. PL I/iaphor. 785. Fl. Par. 56 (nee Ckantz). 



2 L. Spec. 9S6.— DC. Frorlr. i. 324, n. 43.— ^ Puksh. Fl. JBor. Amcr. ii. 464.— W. Spec. 

 GuiB. op. cit. 658.— GiiEN. et Godr. Fl. dc Fr. iii. 875.— DC. Prodr. n. 108.— Bigel. Mid. 

 i. 195.— Rev. in Bot. Méd. du XIX Siècle, iii. Bot. iii. t. 54.— Lindl. Fl. Mcd. 126.-7'. 

 103, t. 9.— Caz. Tr. des PL Méd. Ind. éd. 3, poli/ffama Walt. Fl. Carol. 179.— DC. Prodr. 

 864. — P. pubescens Rohd. — ? P. comosa n. 110. 



ScHKDHR. — ? P. monspcluica All.— P. serpyl. ^ L. Spec. 990.— WooDV. Mcd. Bot. iii. t. 93. 



lacca Weihb.— P. oxyptcni Reichb. {Serbe à —DC. Prodr. n. 109. — Bigel. Mcd. Bot. ii. t. 



lait. Laitier commun. Fleur ambrevale.) 30. — Mér. et Del. Diet. Mat. Mad. v. 424. — 



3 L. SjHc. 987.— Wahl. Carp. n. 701.— DC!. Nées et Eberm. PL Mcd. t. 412.— Lindl. Fl. 

 Prodr. n. 44. — Gren. et Godr. loc. cit. 196. — Mcd. 125. — Bot. Mng. t. 1051. — Guib. loc. cit. 

 GuiB. op. cit. 658.— P. amtriaca Ck.intz, Fl- 656,%. 748. -Endl. -B/icAiVi'rf. 569.— A. Rich. 

 Amtr.t.2, fig. 4. — P, decipiens Bess. Coiit. ii. i?&'H(. éd. 4, ii. 532. — VEiimvLK, Elein. Mat. Med. 

 73. — P. Vaillantii Bess. — P. amarellti Crantz. éd. 4, ii. p. ii. 565. — Moa. Bot. Méd. 65, fig. 18. — 

 — P. myrti/olia Fr. [Laitier amer.) Rev. in Fl. Méd. du XIX Siècle, iii. 319, t. 34. 



■• ScH, Exs. cent. ii. n. 15. — Godr. Fl. Lorr. 



