350 
The  Genus  Psoralea. 
( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\       July,  1889. 
the  specific  name  refers  to  the  peculiar  odor  of  the  plant.  The  leaves 
have  long  been  popularly  employed  as  a  tonic,  stimulant  and  emmena- 
gogue. 
Ps.  physodes,  Douglas,  likewise  a  species  with  three  leaflets,  is  enu- 
merated by  Dr.  W.  P.  Gibbons  in  a  "  list  of  the  Medicinal  Plants  of 
California  "  (see  Proceedings  of  Am.  Phar.  Assoc.,  1871,  p.  300),  but 
its  reputed  properties  or  uses  are  not  given.  Neither  is  the  plant 
mentioned  by  Carter.1 
Ps.  melilotoides,  Michaux,  s.  Ps.  Melilotus,  Persoon,  grows  from 
Virginia  southward,  and  westward  to  Illinois.  It  is  very  common  in 
middle  and  upper  Carolina  and  in  Georgia.  Two  students  of  the 
Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  Aug.  Bradley  and  Edward  D. 
MacNair,  both  from  North  Carolina,  call  attention  to  this  plant  in 
their  graduating  essays,  which  are  mainly  of  a  descriptive  nature.  As 
indicated  by  the  specific  names  the  plant  resembles  the  melilot  or  sweet 
clover  in  appearance.  It  is  somewhat  pubescent  and  more  or  less 
glandular  ;  the  stem  grows  to  the  height  of  two  feet,  is  much  branched, 
and  bears  trifoliolate  leaves,  the  leaflets  varying  in  shape  between 
lanceolate  and  narrowly  oblong ;  not  unfrequently  they  are  glandless, 
which  is  the  main  distinctive  character  of  the  form  Psoralea  eglandu- 
losa,  Elliott.  The  numerous  small  purplish  flowers  are  in  axillary 
and  terminal  long-peduncled  oblong  spikes,  and  produce  oval  or  sub- 
orbicular,  transversely  wrinkled  pods.  The  perennial  root  is  fusiform, 
sending  out  stout  branches  of  similar  shape,  J  to  1  inch  thick,  from  8 
to  12  inches  and  more  in  length,  externally  light-brown,  internally 
white,  and  tough  and  fibrous  in  the  bark  as  well  as  in  the  meditullium. 
The  plant  is  collected  when  in  full  bloom.  The  herbaceous  portion 
being  of  a  weaker  odor  and  taste  is  used  to  some  extent ;  but  the  root 
is  the  principal  part  employed.  In  the  fresh  state  it  has  an  agreeable 
aromatic  odor,  and  a  bitterish  spicy,  or  even  rather  acrid  taste ;  but 
odor  and  taste  are  much  weaker  after  drying. 
Mr.  MacNair  obtained  from  the  fresh  root  about  2  per  cent,  of 
volatile  oil,  having  the  sp.  gr.  0  93,  a  pungent  and  bitterish  taste  and 
a  neutral  reaction.  Tannin  appears  to  be  absent ;  but  a  dark-green 
color  is  produced  in  the  infusion  and  tincture  by  ferric  chloride. 
Starch  is  present;  also  a  bitter  principle  which  has  not  been  isolated. 
Dr.  Carter  (loc.  cit.)  states  that  the  drug  is  aromatic,  bitter  tonic, 
1  Synopsis  of  the  Medicinal  Botany  of  the  United  States.    By  J.  M.  G.  Car- 
ter, M.  D.,  1888. 
