SMILAX SARSAPARILLA. 
211 
have a weak aromatic odour, which is much diniioished, but not 
totally dissipated by drying: their taste is slightly bitter. Both 
water and alcohol extract their active principles, but the former most 
completely. 
Medical Properties and Uses. Wall germander has been 
esteemed chiefly as a mild aperient and coroborant. It has also 
been accounted diuretic and emmenagogue : hence it has been 
recommended, and said to prove efficacious, in uterine obstructions, 
and also in intermittent fevers, gout,* and rheumatism. Whatever 
might have been the good effects produced by this plant, it is now, 
however, seldom or never employed. According to Murray, the 
virtues of this plant very nearly resemble those of horehound, and 
may be employed with equal advantage ; the dose of the dried herb 
is from one scruple to a drachm, taken three or four times in the day. 
Oflf. The Herb. 
SMILAX SARSAPARILLA. 
Sarsaparilla.-f 
Class DiCECiA. — Order Hexandria. 
Nat. Ord. Sarmentace^, Linn. Asparagi, Juss. 
CrEN. Char. Male» Ca/yx six-leaved. Corolla none. 
Female. Calyx six-leaved. Corolla none. 
Styles three. Berry three-celled. Seeds two. 
Spec. Char. iS^em angled, prickly. Leaves unarmed, ovate, 
pointed, three-nerved. 
This species of Srailax is a perennial climbing plant, flowering 
in July and August. According to Mr. Aiton, it was first cultivated 
* Charles V. is said to have been cared of a severe attack of gout by a vinous de- 
coction of this plant taken for sixty successive days. It also formed one of the ingre- 
dients in the celebrated Portland powder for the cure of gout. 
f Fig. o. the pislillain. b. A stamen, c. The fruit. 
