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MISC. PUBLICATION 77, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



CAROLINA-JESSAMINE 



Gelsemium sempervirens (L.) Ait. f. (Fig. 33.) 



Other common names. — Yellow jasmine or jessamine, Carolina wild woodbine, 

 evening trumpetflower. 



Habitat and range. — Carolina-jessamine is a plant native to the South, found 

 along banks of streams, in woods, lowlands, and thickets, generally near the 

 coast, from the eastern part of Virginia to Florida and Texas and south to 

 Mexico. 



Description. — This highly ornamental climbing or trailing plant grows abun- 

 dantly in the woods of the Southern States, its slender stems are festooned over 

 trees and fences, and its presence is made known by the delightful perfume 

 exhaled by its flowers. The smooth, shining stems of this vine sometimes reach 

 a length of 20 feet. The leaves, which are from 1}4 to 3 inches long, generally 

 remain on the vine during the winter. The bright-yellow funnel-shaped flowers, 

 which appear from January to April, are very fragrant but poisonous. The 

 rootstock, attaining a length of 15 feet or more, runs near the surface of the ground. 

 It is branched and here and there produces fibrous rootlets. When fresh it 

 is very yellow and has a peculiar odor and bitter taste. 



Part used. — The rootstock, collected when the plant has come into flower, 

 and cut into pieces from 1 to 6 inches long. In reasonably constant demand. 



Ftgure 33.— Carolina-jessamine {Gel- 

 semium semperrirens) 



Figure 34.- 



-Carolina-vamllu (TriUsa odora- 

 tissima) 



CAROLINA- VANILLA 



Trilisa odoratissi ma (Walt.) Cass. (Fig. 34.) 



Synonym. — Liatris odoratissima Michx. 



Other common names. — Deertongue, vanilla leaf, vanilla plant, dog's-tongue, 

 houndstongue. 



Habitat and range. — Carolina-vanilla is found in dry or wet pine barrens from 

 southeastern Virginia to North Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. 



Description. — This is a stout erect herb 2 to 3 feet high with smooth, thick, 

 entire leaves 4 to 10 inches long and 1 to 1% inches wide. In August to Sep- 

 tember the small purple flowers are borne, 5 to 10 in a head, in branched, rather 

 flat-topped clusters. The leaves, especially when bruised, have a characteristic 

 odor of vanilla. 



Part used. — This plant, while of minor importance as a drug plant, is included 

 here because large quantities of the leaves are used in the flavoring of tobacco. 

 In reasonablv constant demand, 



