Flora Medica

RANUNCULACE-S:.Wall, i. 35. A. ferox in DC. prodr. 64. plant, as. var.i. 35. t. 41. A. virosum Don prodr. fl. nep. 196. Himalayamountains; Gossain Than, Sirmore, Kamaon. (Bish orBikh.)Tubers 2 or 3, fasciculate, fusiform, 2-4 inches long, blackish, whiteinside. Stem erect 2-3 feet high, smooth at the base, slightly downyupwards. Branches villous. Leaves roundish-cordate, deeply 5-parted ;lobes incised, pmnatifid, cnneate at the base, generally hairy along theveins on the under side. Raceme terminal, long, downy. Flowers large,deep blue, hoary with hairiness. Helmet gibbous, semicircular, aboutan inch long, with a short acumen in front. Cucullate petals cylindrical,narrow, slightly incurved. A dreadfully poisonous root, equally fatalwhen taken into the stomach or applied to wounds. Its action is similarto that of A. Napellus, only more virulent. It is used in cases ofchronic rheumatism by Indian practitioners. Mr. Pereira found thata drop of the spirituous infusion applied to the tongue produced anumbness which remained for 18 hours.ACT^EA.Sepals 4-5, imbricated, petaloid, regular. Petals 0. Stamensnumerous ;the exterior dilated and sterile. Carpels solitary,baccate, indehiscent, many-seeded. Seeds compressed,angular, smooth, horizontal.36. A. spicata Linn. sp. pi 722. Eng. Bot. t. 918. Fl.Dan. t. 498. DC. prodr.i. 65. Bushy mountainous situationsin Europe, Caucasus, and Siberia. (Baneberry.)Stem erect, leafless, and scaly at the base. Leaves twice or thriceternate with ovate-lanceolate, serrated or slashed segments. Pedicelsthe length of the flowers, scarcely thickened when in fruit. Sterilestamens spathulate, obtuse. Fruits roundish, black. Fruit poisonous.Roots antispasmodic, expectorant, astringent; they are reported to haveafforded very marked relief in cases of catarrh. Burnett.XANTHORHIZA.Sepals 5, deciduous. Petals 5. Carpels 2-3- seeded, byabortion 1 -seeded.37. X. apiifolia Inherit stirp. \. 79. t. 38. Barton, mat. med.ii. t. 46. DC. prodr.i. 65. Mountains in the southern parts ofthe United States.A small deciduous shrub, from 2 to 3 feet high. Root horizontal,throwing up numerous suckers. Wood bright yellow. Leaves pinnate,of about 3 pairs with an odd one ; leaflets ovate or rhomboidal, slashedand serrated, sometimes divided almost to the base on one side, palegreen, smooth above slightly pubescent beneath. Racemes axillary,pendulous. Flowers small, dull purplish-brown. Petals obovate,2-lobed. Ovaries 5-9. Capsules inflated, compressed, 1 -celled,2-valved, opening at the apex. Seeds oval, flattened. Both wood andbark a pure, tonic, very intense bitter. It agrees well with the stomach,and has been said to be superior to Calumba.12