6 
MENYANTHES TRIPOLIATA. 
to Professor Bigelow, it is found ia similar situations in North 
America, with scarcely any difference of structure or appearance. 
It has probably derived its name of buck-bean, or more properly 
bog-bean, from the resemblance of its leaves to the common edible 
bean, though some derive it from the French ; however, this is a 
matter of little importance. 
The root of buck-bean is long, round, creeping and fibrous, with 
perpendicular radicles, and of a black colour; the stem, which 
rises erect to the height of a foot, is smooth, cylindrical, spreading, 
branched, and clothed with sheathing foot-stalks, each of which 
supports a ternate leaf, composed of three obovate, smooth, bluntly- 
toothed leaflets, of a beautiful bright green on its upper surface, and 
somewhat paler beneath; the flower-stalk rises from within the 
sheath of a leaf, is longer than the leaves, erect, round, and smooth, 
and supports a loose spike of about ten flowers, accompanied with 
small ovate, entire bracteas ; each flower has its proper pedicle or 
foot-stalk ; the calyx is divided into five obtuse segments ; the 
corolla is a funnel shaped petal, divided like the calyx into five deep 
pointed segments, which are white, tipped with rose-colour, smooth 
on the outside, and clothed within with dense white shaggy fibres on 
their upper side ; the filaments are awl-shaped, supporting erect 
sagittate anthers of a red colour ; germen conical ; stigma cloven, 
and notched, on a slender style, twice the length of the stamens ; the 
capsule is ovate, succulent, one-celled, separating when ripe into 
two valves ; seeds numerous, egg-shaped, and of a brown or yellow 
colour. This plant flowers in June and July. 
Sensible Properties. The leaves of buck-bean have a faint 
disagreeable smell, and every part of the plant an intensely nauseous 
bitter taste ; the bitter principle resides chiefly in an extractive 
matter which is readily given out by infusion in water ; the root is 
somewhat resinous, and the sprituous infusion of it is much stronger 
than the watery. 
Medical Properties and Uses. Buck-bean like most of 
the other vegetable bitters is a powerful tonic, and the powdered 
root given in doses of ten or fifteen grains, is found to strengthen 
the stomach and improve digestion ; in larger doses it produces 
vomiting, purging, and diaphoresis ; this latter quality has led to its 
use in rheumatism : Boerhaave says he found benefit from it in gout : 
he used the juice of the fresh plant mixed with whey. Dr. Cullen 
speaks highly of its virtues in some cutaneous diseases of the can- 
cerous kind ; he gave it in infusion. It has likewise been found ser- 
viceable in remitteat and intermittent fevers, and was formerly much 
