48  Indigenous  Plants  of  Medical  Interest.  { Am7a°nu^S.a,'nu 
bark,  this  being  derived  from  E.  atropurpureus ;  the  shrub  is  so  much  culti- 
vated that  description  is  unnecessary.  Celastrus  scandens  belongs  to  the  same 
order,  and  is  used  to  some  extent.  It  is  a  peculiar  climber  as  well  as  twiner. 
The  flowers  are  inconspicuous,  but  the  scarlet  arils  of  the  orange  fruit  cluster 
are  extremely  attractive  and  form  quite  a  feature  of  house  decoration  during 
the  fall  and  winter. 
The  order  Rhamnaceae  is  represented  by  the  buckthorn,  Rhamnus  cathartica 
in  Bartram's  Garden,  where  it  was  introduced  as  a  hedge  plant.  Ceanothus 
Americanus,  New  Jersey  tea,  belongs  to  this  order,  and  has  a  limited  applica- 
tion therapeutically,  and  we  might  mention  that  in  all  our  young  life  we  have 
not  met  with  the  Jerseyman  or  woman  who  indulged  in  this  beverage  accredited 
to  them  ;  hence  we  judge  it  a  polite  appellation  for  a  common  low  shrubby 
plant. 
The  order  Vitacese,  or  grape  family,  is  represented  by  Vitis  or  Ampelopsis 
quinquefolia,  called  American  ivy  or  Virginian  creeper.  It  is  an  extensive 
and  woody  creeper,  or  rather  climber,  as  it  conforms  itself  to  situation  and 
has  become  one  of  our  finest  natural  decorations,  both  in  summer  and  fall. 
sEsculus  glabra,  AZ.flava  and  Acer  rubrum  belong  to  the  order  Sapindacese. 
As  horse-chestnuts  carried  in  the  pocket  render  the  person  proof  against 
rheumatic  attacks,  according  to  popular  fallacy,  we  will  simply  label  them  : 
"  For  external  use  only,"  and  carry  the  idea  no  further,  unless  we  should  call 
your  attention  to  this  test  of  a  good  rule — carrying  a  pound  of  prevention  in 
the  pockets  for  not  a  grain  of  sense  in  the  cure.  Acer  rubrum  is  on  the  list  of 
new  remedies  as  red  maple,  and  that  is  about  all  we  have  heard  of  it  in  that  line. 
Among  the  Anacardiacese  we  have  a  list  of  very  unpleasant  companions  to 
pass  through — the  sumachs.  They  are  Rhus  copallina,  R.  glabra,  R.  Toxicoden- 
dron, R.  typhina  and  R.  venenata.  R.  typhina  is  a  harmless  small  tree  ;  R.  glabra 
a  smooth  shrub,  and  R.  copallina  also  a  rather  smooth  shrub,  but  with  the  leaflets 
somewhat  joined.  These  3  species  have  numerous  leaflets,  rather  thick  in  texture; 
but  the  following  are  very  poisonous  :  R.  venenata  has  from  7  to  13  leaflets  some- 
what thin,  is  shrubby,  averaging  12  feet  in  height,  and  is  considered  the  most 
poisonous  species.  R.  Toxicodendron  is  a  low  plant  with  3  leaflets,  running 
over  the  ground  or  climbing  by  rootlets  over  anything  and  everything.  When 
it  has  ascended  trees  it. becomes  much  stronger  and  throws  out  lateral  branches 
in  imitation  of  tree  growth.  Rhus  poisoning  is  of  common  occurrence  and 
the  Virginia  creeper  is  frequently  censured  ;  but  if  people  will  only  remember 
that  the  creeper  has  5  leaflets  and  toxicodendron  but  3,  the  former  will  never 
be  charged  with  the  evil  work  of  the  latter. 
The  genus  Polygala,  order  Polygalacese,  has  but  one  species  officinal, 
Polygala  Senega,  which  is  found  in  the  extreme  western  portion  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Another  species,  much  smaller  and  more  pleasing  than  the  nauseating 
seneka  snake  root,  is  P.  paucifolia,  or  fringed  polygala.  It  is  mentioned  for  the 
sake  of  its  beauty  when  in  flower,  and  as  words  fail  to  describe  a  cluster  of  the 
plant  at  that  time,  we  simply  ask  you  to  join  us  in  an  expedition  in  spring 
and  judge  for  yourselves. 
Baptisia  tinctoria,  or  false  indigo,  brings  us  to  the  large  order  of  Legu- 
minosse.  This  plant  is  very  common  with  us  along  woodland  and  clearings, 
and  is  easily  recognized  by  its  bushy  habit,  three  inversely  wedge-shaped  leaflets 
and  terminal  racemes  of  bright  yellow  flowers.    'Cytisus  scoparius  is  found  as 
