34 Bigelow 07i the Medical Botany of Ohio. [Nov. 



Sp. 177. Zygadenus glaucus, Nutt. 



Com. name — Smooth Zygadene. Perennial; stems, naked 

 above, l u high; leaves, grass like; flowers greenish-white. — 

 July. Rare. 



Sp. 178. Melanthium virginicum. Linn. 



Com. names — Quafidil, Melanthium. Perennial ; stem 3° 

 — 4° high; leaves, grass like; flowers, cream colored, about V 

 broad. — July. 



A sure but violent remedy for itch. [Raf. 2d. 242.] 



Sp. 179 - Veratrum viride. Ait. 



Com. names — American Hellebore, Itch- weed, Indian Poke, 

 Earth-gall, Wolfbane. Stem, stout, very leafy to the top, 2° 

 — 4° high; perianth, yellowish-green. — June. 



Root, very poisonous, Gray, (Bot. North. U. S. 500.) Acrid, 

 emetic, powerfully stimulant, followed by sedative effects. — 

 (Riddell.) (Raf. Med. Flor. 2d. 273.) 



Sp. 180. Stenanthium angustifolium. Gray. Syn. Veratrum An- 

 gustifolium. Pursh. 



Com. name — Grass-leaved Veratrum. Wand-like, leafy, 

 slender stem, 2° — 6° high; flowers, small white. — July. 



Sp. 181. ChamjElirium luteum. Gray. Syn. Veratrum Luteum. Linn. 

 Helonias Lutea. Ait. Helonias Dioica. Pursh. 



Com. names — Devil's-bit, Blazing Star. Perennial, wand- 

 like stem ; flowers, small, yellowish on a wand-like spike, at 

 length G' — 10' long. — June. 



Acrid medicinal. An infusion of the root is anthelmintic. 

 The tincture is tonic. (Riddell, West. Flor. 183.) 



Sp. 182. TOFEILDIA GLUTINOSA. Willd. 



Com. name — False Asphodel. Slender, perennial; stem 1° 

 high; flowers, greenish-white. — June. 



Order LXI.— PONTEDERIACE.E. {Pickerel Weed Family.) 

 Sp. 183. Pontederia cordata. Linn. 



Com. names — Pickerel Weed, Shovel-leaf, Water Plantain. 

 Stout herbs, growing in shallow water; scape, 1-leaved, termin- 

 ated by a spike of violet-blue ephemeral flowers. — May, Sept. 



The roots are emollient, restringent and anti-scrofulous; 

 leaves form an excellent cooling topical application for in- 

 flammations on the surface. It may be employed in gleets, 

 leucorrhoBa, fluxes, and externally for scrofulous tumors and 

 sores. (Raf. Med. Flor. 2d. 108.) 



