608 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



shaped. Fruit consisting of succulent scales consolidated into a drupe-like body. Seeds 

 triquetrous. 



These are arborescent, shrubby, or suffruticose plants, with mostly alternate 

 branches, furnished with opposite of verticillate leaves, which are imbricated 

 or spreading, very acute or partly obtuse. They are natives of North Ame- 

 rica, Northern Asia, and Europe. 



I. J. communis, Linn. — A large shrub. Ex- 

 Fig. 270. tremities of the branches smooth and angular. 

 Leaves in threes, linear-acerose, sharply mu- 

 cronate, shining green beneath, but with a glau- 

 cous line along the centre of the upper surface ; 

 they are resupinate, turning their upper surface 

 to the ground. Barren flowers in small axil- 

 lary aments, with roundish, stipitate scales en- 

 closing the anthers. Fertile flowers on another 

 plant, having a small 3-parted involucre, grow- 

 ing to the scales, which are 3. Fruit fleshy, 

 berried, of a dark-purplish colour, formed of the 

 confluent succulent scales, which are marked 

 with three prominences or vesicles at top, and 

 contain three seeds. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 1470 ; Eng. Bot. 1 100 ; 

 Bigelow, Med. Bot. iii. t. 44? Rafinesque, 

 Med. Fl. ii. 12; Lindley, Fl. Med. 556; 

 Loudon, Arboret. 2439. 



Common Names. — Juniper ; Common 

 Juniper. 



Foreign Names. — Genevier commun, 

 Fr. ; Ginepro, It. ; Wachholderbaum, 

 Ger. 

 J. comnmis. The Juniper is found in North Ame- 



rica, Europe, and Northern Asia; The 

 berries are officinal, and are principally imported into this country from the 

 Mediterranean ports. Some are collected in New Jersey and elsewhere, but 

 are said not to be equal to the foreign. The plant figured and described by 

 Dr. Bigelow as J. communis, is considered by some botanists to be a distinct 

 species, and has been called J. depressa, but it does not appear to be more 

 than a variety. The berries, as found in commerce, are oblong-globular, 

 marked with three radiating furrows at the top, and below by the bracts. 

 They are of a purplish-black colour, have a sweetish, somewhat terebinthi- 

 nate taste, and a peculiar aromatic odour. These properties are owing to 

 the presence of a Volatile oil, besides which they contain Wax, Resin, 

 Gum, &c. 



The great employment of these berries is in the manufacture of Gin. 

 They are used in medicine as stimulating diuretics, especially in combination 

 with Cremor tartar. They have likewise been prescribed with advantage in 

 some affections of the genito-urinary apparatus, especially in mucous dis- 

 charges from these parts. They are usually given in infusion, but the oil is 

 one of the best modes of exhibition. 



2. J. sabina, Linn. — A small tree or shrub, usually more disposed to spread horizon- 

 tally than to form a stem. Branches slender, round, tough, covered with short, acute, 

 imbricating leaves, which arc very bitter, and have an unpleasant odour. The fruit is 

 deep bluish-black, about the size of a currant. 



Linn., Sp. Fl. 1472; Woodville, t. 94; Lindley, Fl. Med. 557 ; Loudon, 

 Arboret. 2499. 



