AMERICAN MEDICINAL PLANTS 



29 



FOXGLOVE 



Digitalis purpurea L. (Fig. 51.) 



Other common names. — Digitalis, purple foxglove, thimbles, fairy cap, fairy 

 thimbles, fairy finger, fairybells, dog's-finger, finger flower, lady's-glove, lady's- 

 finger, lady's-thimble, popdock, flapdock, flopdock, lion's-mouth, rabbit's-flower, 

 cottagers, throatwort, Scotch mercury. 



Habitat and range. — Originally introduced into this country from Europe as 

 an ornamental garden plant, foxglove may now be found wild in a few localities 

 in parts of Oregon, Washington, and West Virginia, having escaped from cultiva- 

 tion and assumed the character of a weed. It occurs along roads and fence rows, 

 in small cleared places, and on the borders of timberland. 



Description. — During the first year of its growth the foxglove produces only 

 a dense rosette of leaves, but in the second season it produces a tall, leafy flowering 

 stalk from 3 to 4 feet high. The leaves, which are from 4 to 12 inches long and 

 about twice as wide, are wrinkled, downy, and show a thick network of prominent 

 veins. In early summer the tall flower stalk produces numerous tubular, bell- 

 shaped flowers which are about 2 inches long and which vary in color from white 

 through lavender and purple. 



Part used. — The leaves, which should be carefully dried in the shade as rapidly 

 as possible and preserved in dark, air-tight receptacles. In reasonably constant 

 demand. 



uke 51.— Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) 



Figure 52.— Fragrant gokienrod 

 (Solidago suaveolens) 



FRAGRANT GOLDENROD 



Solidago suaveolens Schoepf. (Fig. 52.) 



Synonym. — Solidago odora Ait. 



Other common names. — Sweet goldenrod, wound weed, Blue Mountain tea, 

 sweet-scented goldenrod, anise-scented goldenrod, true goldenrod. 



Habitat and range. — The fragrant goldenrod is found in dry, sandy soil or 

 pinelands from Nova Scotia south to Florida and west to Arkansas and Texas. 



Description. — Fragrant goldenrod is a slender herb from 2 to 4 feet high with 

 nearly smooth stems. The narrow, pointed, entire leaves, which have a pleasant 

 anise odor when crushed, are 2 to 4 inches long and one-fourth to three-fourths of 

 an inch wide. In summer and fall the numerous small, yellow flowers appear, 

 densely crowded in branched clusters at the end of the stems. 



Part used. — The leaves and tops, collected during the flowering period. In 

 limited demand only. 



