HYPERTCACEJE. 391 



its buds. An odorous oil distilled from its leaves was formerly em- 

 ployed in medicine.^ H.. Androscemum^ was in equal repute under 

 the name of Heal-all.^ It was prescribed for insanity, burns, bse- 

 morrhage, wounds. H. hircinu'm'^(&.g. 346-349), tbe odour of which 

 is so strong, was used in the treatment of dysmenorrhea and 

 strangury; H, Goris, montanum, ciliatum, etc., as astringents and 

 balsamics. Many other European species ^ have analogous properties. 

 In the United States, a stomachic tincture is prepared from E. vir- 

 ginicum,^ the flowers chiefly being employed. In Brazil H. laxius- 

 culum ' is extolled as alexipharmio and H. connatum ' as useful in 

 cases of angina and stomatite. S. Sarothra,^ of North America, is 

 said to be vulnerary. At Quito H. laricifoUum^° is considered 

 astringent; its flowers are used for dyeing a saffron yellow. At 

 Bourbon an odorous balsam is extracted from H. lanceolatum,^^ pre- 

 scribed in gouty and syphilitic affections. In the North of Europd 

 H. Modes ^^ is used to dye red and yellow. Species of Hypericum 

 of the section Ascyrum '^ have been employed as astringents and 

 resolutives ; the seeds are considered purgative. Some evergreen 

 and subshrubby species of this genus are cultivated in our gardens 

 as ornamental.'* 



' It forms an ingredient of several balsams. ' A. S.-H. PI. Us. Bras. t. 62 {Meerim bravo). 



The petals contain a yellow principle, soluble *" Lamk. Diet. iv. 168, n. 55. — A. S.-H. op. 



in water ; the pistil and fruit, a reddish resinous cit. t. 61. — Eosenth. op. cit. 750. — Brathys con- 



substance, soluble in oil, alcohol; etc. nata Spach {Orelha de gato). 



^ Jj. Spec. \lf>2.—GrViB.loc. cit. 611. — H.bacai- ' MiCHX. Fl. Bor.-Anur. u. 81. — Sarothra 



ferum IjiMK. Fl. Fr. iii. 151. — 'K.Bn. Sict. En- gentianoides L. — S. hyperieoiies Nott. — Eo- 



cycl. So. M6d. iv. 322. — Androsamwm officinale senth. op. cit. 751. 



AxL. Fl. Pedem. ii. 47.— Lindl. FL Med. 117.— '» J. Ann.Mus.iii. 160, t. 16, fig. 1.— Brathys 



EosBNTH. op. cit. 750. — A. vulgare Gmrtn. laricifolia Spach. 



Fruct. 1. 282, t. 59, fig. 2. " Lamk. Diet. iv. 145, n. 3. — Gampylosporus 



' ParoBur, Herbe des grands iois. . reticulatus Spach [Ambaville, Fleurjaune). 



4 L. Spec. 1103.— Gken. et Godr. Fl. de Fr. '^ j,. ^^^o. 1106.— DC. Fl. Fr. iv. &&5.—Flo- 



i. 320. — Androscemum fcetidum Spach. des palustris Spach, Ann. Sc.Nat. ser. 2, v. 171. 



' H. quadrmtgulum L. tetrapterum Pkies. oris- — GEEN.et Godk. Fl. deFr. i. 320. — H.pulehrum 



pum L. olympicum L. origanifolium W. humifii- L. elegans Stbph. Eicheri Vill. (i«riate»sALL.) 



sum L. empetrifolium W. etc. (Eosenth. op. cit. have also been used in dyeing. 



749). '^ Especially A. hypericoides L. and stans 



s L. Spec. 1104. — AuDR. Bot. Repos. t. 552. — Michx. 



DO. Prodr. iii. 646, n. 30.— Flodea virginica i-* Boi!. ifa^. t. 137, 146, 178, 3277, 4949,5693. 



NuTT. — E. campaaulata Puksh. Cake. Bev. Eort. (1875) 170, u. ic. 



