ASTERACE^E. 397 



of using it is in the form of essence, by dissolving it in spirit; in this state it 

 is beneficially exhibited in complaints of the digestive organs, attended with 

 flatulency, and from its aromatic flavour is well suited to disguise the nause- 

 ous taste of many medicines. It has been found useful in arresting vomiting 

 and spasmodic pains in the stomach. 



The S. virgaurea, a native of Europe and of the northern parts of Ame- 

 rica, was at one time in much repute in complaints of the genito-urinary 

 organs, and was even supposed to have lithontriptic properties. Gerarde 

 says of it: "It is extolled above all other herbs for the stopping of blood in 

 sanguinolent ulcers, and bleeding wounds." Its true character appears to be 

 astringent and tonic, and may be employed when a mild article of this class 

 is required. It is probable that most of the species are possessed of analo- 

 gous powers. Schoepf alludes to a species useful in wounds and snake-bites, 

 and also in tumours, pains in the breast, &c. 



Inula. — Linn. 



Head many. flowered, heterogamous ; florets of the ray pistillate, in one row, sometimes 

 sterile by abortion, generally ligulate, rarely somewhat tubular and trifid ; those of the 

 disk hermaphrodite, tubular, 5-toothed. Involucre imbricated in several rows. Recep- 

 tacle flat or somewhat convex, naked. Anthers with two setae at the base. Achenium 

 without a beak, tapering or angled. Pappus uniform, in a single series, composed of 

 capillary rough setae. 



A genus of mostly perennial berbs, natives of Europe and Asia, with their 

 cauline leaves often amplexicaul. The flowers are yellow, in solitary or 

 corymbose heads. Several species have been used in medicine, but only one 

 of them deserves notice. 



I. helenium, Linn. — Leaves large, velvety, tomentose beneath, denticulate ; radical 

 ones ovate, tapering to a petiole ; the cauline partly amplexicaul ; heads solitary at the 

 summit of somewhat corymbose panicles. 



Linn., Sp. PL 881 ; Torrey and Gray, Fl. ii. 267; Woodville, i. t. 26; 

 Stephenson and Churchill, i. 49. 



Common Names. — Elecampane ; Horse Heal ; Scabwort. 



Foreign Names. — Aunee, Aulnee, Fr.; Enula Campana, It.; Alant- 

 wurzel, Ger. 



Description. — Root thick, fusiform, branching and aromatic. Stem three or four feet 

 high, thick, round, leafy, furrowed, solid, branched and downy towards the top. The 

 leaves are large, ovate, slightly-toothed, of a dark-green colour above and hoary beneath ; 

 the radical ones are large, and petiolated, but those of the stem are sessile and clasping. 

 The heads of flowers are large, radiated, solitary, terminal, of a bright yellow colour. 

 The involucre is hemispherical, the outer scales are broad and imbricated, and downy on 

 both sides ; the inner are narrow, linear and chaffy. The disk-florets are numerous, per- 

 fect, tubular, 5-cleft ; those of the ray are spreading, ligulate, linear, pistillate and trifid. 

 The anthers are furnished with bristles at their base ; the ovary is oblong with a filiform 

 cloven style, and spreading obtuse stigmas. The seeds are quadrangular, smooth, and 

 furnished with a simple pappus. 



Elecampane is a native of Europe and Japan, and is naturalized in some 

 parts of the United States, growing in moist places and about houses, flower- 

 ing in July and August. Professor Alston is of opinion that it is the first 

 Helenium of Dioscorides, and is also supposed to be the Inula of Pliny, who 

 speaks of Helenium as a different plant ; Horace also alludes to it. The part 



