108 SOLIDAGO ULMIFOLIA.—ELM-LEAVED GOLDEN-ROD. 
been quite famous as a dye. Another of the old herbalists, 
Culpeper, says: “ Venus rules this herb. It is a balsamic vulner- 
ary herb, long famous against inward hurts and bruises. No 
preparation is better than a tea of this herb for this service; and 
the young leaves, green or dry, have the most Virtue.”  Lin- 
neus admits it into his “Materia Medica” as a vulnerary and 
diuretic. It is among the most remarkable of medical facts, that 
a plant, which was once so famous as to elicit such strong com- 
mendation, and to have a name given to it in connection with 
this reputation, should now be wholly discarded from medical 
practice. 
Our species, S. wdnzfora, has little to call especial attention to 
beyond what it might share with other species of the genus. It 
is one of the most common kinds in Eastern Pennsylvania 
where the plant illustrated grew. Its most striking character- 
istic is perhaps its large, open, branching stalks. Most of the 
familiar species of this region have their flowers in dense heads 
terminating the main flower stem; but this one begins to throw 
out slender branchlets, such as the one illustrated, low down on 
the stem; and there are many scores of these twiggy dividing 
branchlets in the make-up of the complete flower stalk. One of 
these main stems, often two feet high, covered with expanded 
flowers, is very showy indeed. It loves to grow in half-shaded 
woods, or in rather low, open places. In such situations it is 
often met with in most of the States from Alabama northwards. 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE.—1. Upper portion of a main flowering stem. 2. Lower portion 
of the same. 3. Enlarged disk floret. 4. A small branchlet. 
