NEW YORK 



BOTANICA' 



TORREYA '*-«-' 



Vol. 37 May-June, 1937 No. 3 



A review of some medicinal plants 



Part 2 — Medicinal Plants of Our Local Flora* 



S. C. Bausor 



The following is a list of 100 of the more common plants 

 possessing remedial virtues, found within the range of the Tor- 

 rey Club's field excursions. 



1. Aspidiiim marginale (L). Sw. (Marginal Shield Fern). The 



rhizome and stipes are used as a remedy for tapeworm. 

 It is closely related to No. 22, List I. 



2. Lycopodium clavatum L. and other species (Club-Moss). The 



spores are used to coat pills to prevent them from adher- 

 ing to one another. Also they are employed in the manu- 

 facture of some dusting powders. 



3. A corns Calamus L. (Sweet Flag). The rhizome is tonic and 



may be eaten as such, or made into an infusion. 



4. Veratrum viride Ait. (American White Hellebore). The rhi- 



zome and roots prepared as a fluidextract or tincture are 

 used as a sedative. It has the effect of reducing the blood 

 pressure. 



5. Polygonatum hiflorum (Walt.) Ell. (Small Solomon's Seal). 



The rhizome was formerly used in fluidextract as a tonic, 

 for gout and rheumatism. 



6. Trillium erectum L. (Birthroot), and other species. The 



rhizome has been used as an oxytocic, hence its common 

 name. 



7. Iris versicolor L. (Larger Blue Flag). An extract or fluidex- 



tract of the rhizome is diuretic and cathartic, large doses 

 emetic. 



* Part 1 of this paper appeared in the March-April number of ToRREY.\. 



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