46 BOTANY. 



Grindelia robusta, Nutt. Gum Plant of California. — This plant has 

 recently come into notice as a remedy in poisoning from Mines diversiloba 

 (Poison Oak of California). So far as I know, it has not been tested on our 

 Eastern poison oak, which is another species, and for which the fluid extract 

 of Serpentaria, as advised by Dr. Henry Hartshorne, acts almost as a 

 specific, when applied locally. The resinous exudation on the leaves of 

 the Grindelia is applied in California, or it has been used in the form of a 

 tincture. Concerning the wide range of usefulness anticipated in medicine 

 for Grindelia, I am in the highest degree skeptical. 



Bigelovia veneta, Gray. "Damiana" in Northern Mexico. — The plant 

 is found just outside our borders, and may reach within our domain. I intro- 

 duce it here because it is so closely related to B. Menziesii, which extends 

 abundantly from San Diego to Arizona, and as far north as Utah, as to be 

 by some regarded as identical. Concerning Damiana, or, as it is often 

 called, Yerba anti-rheumatica, we have of late heard much in medical jour- 

 nals as an aphrodisiac. There are a number of other claimants for the 

 name Damiana. Of this one, I am free to confess I consider it utterly 

 worthless as a remedial agent. The resinous exudation on it somewhat 

 resembles that found on Grindelia robusta, and was probably the means of 

 attracting attention to it. 



Pedis angustifolia and P. papposa appear to have been generally noticed 

 because of their peculiar odor of lemons. Indeed, Dr. Loew suggests that 

 in the former this might be turned to commercial account. 



Artemisia.— Several Western species have been reputed as of use in 

 ague and mountain fever by the prospectors of the West. They are used 

 in decoction. I am not prepared to vouch for their efficacy, however. Some 

 species are said to "owe to their aroma and bitterness decidedly stimulating 

 properties." See Le Maout and Decaisne, English edition, p. 505. The 

 current ideas concerning some of our Eastern species would go for some- 

 thing in confirming the estimate placed on the Western ones. 



Asclepias leucophylla, Engelm , var. obtusa, Gray. "Milkweed." — Has 

 about Fort Tejon, California, the reputation of "locoing'' the sheep. How 

 well merited this is I am unable to say. 



Eriodictyon. — In California I believe the name "Yerba santa" is used 



