82 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



from the fact of its having been lauded in this country some years since, as a 

 remedy in haemoptysis and other pectoral affections, in the treatment of which 

 it still enjoys much popular confidence. It is used as a tea, either warm or 

 cold, and may be taken in large quantities ; it has no effect on the lungs, 

 other than that of a mild astringent and demulcent. 



Hydrastis. — L 



Sepals 3, petaloid, deciduous. Petals none. Stamens many, with innate anthers. Styles 

 numerous, short, with dilated anthers. Carpels baccate, compound ; granulations 1-2- 

 seeded. 



This genus of a single species is peculiar to North America. It was first 

 included by Linnaeus in Hydrophyllum, but afterwards separated under its 

 present name at the suggestion of his industrious correspondent Mr. John 

 Ellis, and has been adopted by all botanists except Miller, who, in his Gar- 

 dener's Dictionary, terms it Warnera. Walter has noticed another species, 

 which is also included by Muhlenberg in his catalogue, though as doubtful; 

 it has not since been detected, and is most likely a mere local variety. 



Fig. 49. 



H. canadensis. 



H. canadensis. — Linn. Stem alter- 

 nately 2-leaved. Flower solitary, ter- 

 minal. 



Linn. Sp. PI. 784; Torrey & 

 Gray, Flor. N. A. i. 40; Barton, 

 Veg. Mat. Med. ii. 17; Rafi- 

 nesque, Med. Flor. i. 251. 



Common names. — Yellow- 

 Root, Yellow Puccoon, Ground 

 Raspberry, &c. 



Description. — Root perennial, of a 

 bright yellow colour, tortuous, rugged, 

 with numerous long fibres. Stem 

 simple, upright, pubescent, about a 

 foot in height, with two unequal termi- 

 nal leaves, from the base of the 

 smaller of which proceeds a peduncle 

 bearing a single white or rose-co- 

 loured flower. This appears whilst 

 the leaves are small, but these organs 

 increase rapidly in size as the plant 

 advances to maturity. The fruit is a 

 berry of a red colour, formed of many 

 oblong granulations, each of which 

 contains one or two obovate seeds of a 

 black colour, having a minute embryo 

 at the base of a fleshy and oily al- 

 bumen. 



The Hydrastis is found in most 

 parts of the United States, being 

 most common to the west of the 

 mountains ; near Philadelphia it 

 is very rare. The flowers are 

 exceedingly fugacious, the peta- 

 loid sepals falling off soon after 

 they expand ,• they appear in April 



