Important: Safety Warning
This page prescribes plants as medicine according to pre-modern medical theory. Several of the plants named are toxic, correct identification is difficult, and the doses given have no scientific basis. Do not ingest or apply any preparation described here.
This page presents medical treatment from an era before modern medicine. The remedies described are ineffective against the conditions named, and some of the ingredients or doses are harmful. Do not use them to treat any illness; consult a qualified medical professional.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Order Xciv
ERICEÆ.
These are distinguished from the neighbouring orders by their polyspermous fruit, aristate anthers, and dry shrubby habit. Every genus is eminently beautiful, and worthy of the most assiduous cultivation. The first tribe is a native of hill-sides and open plains, chiefly of the extra-tropical regions of the earth. Some are famous for their beauty, some for their fragrance, and many for their foliage. The heaths are the glory of the Cape, the Arbutuses of Europe, the Andrómedas of America , and Clethra of the Canaries. The second tribe is distinguished from the rest by its inferior berry, and is not less valuable for its fruit than conspicuous for its beauty. The species are principally North American. Monotropeæ stand in their systematic station as they grow in their native woods, lowly herbs among thickets of bushes and trees. Rhodoraceæ, once considered a distinct order, are chiefly North American; their flowers are less tubular than those of true Ericeæ; but their habit is not materially different; here the Azalea the Kálmia, and the Rhododendron, the pride of European gardens, as they are of their native woods, find their station. The utility of the fruit of Vaccinium is well known; its bark is reckoned tonic, stimulant, and astringent, and their fruit slightly styptic. The berries of A'rbutus úva-úrsi are considered lithontriptic; its leaves have also been employed successfully in infusions in obstinate cases of gonorrhea. Extract of Chimáphila umbelláta, in the form of pills, in doses of five scruples a day, has been found successful in cases of dropsy. Some of the species are possessed of narcotic qualities; this is the case with Lédum, Rhododendron chrysanthum , and especially Azalea póntica; honey obtained from the juice of which is said by Xenophon, to have caused the death of many soldiers in the famous retreat of the ten thousand. An infusion of Rhododendron máximum is used in America in cases of chronic rheumatism, and that of Rhododendron pónticum in Asia, against gout and rheumatism. 1020 Cléthra W. 1021 Mylocáryum W.en.
Tribe 1. ERICEÆ VERE. 284 Blæria W. 892 Erica W. 535 Itea L. 536 Cyrílla L. 534 Brossæ'a L.
Tribe 2. VACCINIEE. 906 Oxycóccus P.S. 1016 Andrómeda W. 1018 Gaultheria W. 1019 A'rbutus W. 1017 Enkiánthus B. M. 907 Vaccínium L.
Tribe 3.
Tribe 3. MONOTROPEE. 1022 Pérola W. 1023 Chimáphila Ph. 1008 Monotrópa W. 403 Azálea W. 404 Chamælédon Lk. 893 Menziésia Sm.
Tribe 4. RHODORACEE. 1011 Kálmia W. 1012 Lédum W. 1013 Rhodóra W. 1014 Rhododendron W. 1015 Epigæ'a W. 1076 Bejária Ph.
SUBCLASS III.
SUBCLASS III. COROLLIFLORE.
Petals cohering in the form of a hypogynous corolla, which is not attached to the calyx. To this subclass are to be referred all genera which have a monopetalous corolla, with the stamens inserted into it, and a superior ovarium.
ORDER XCV.
MYRSINEÆ.
Showy shrubs, with evergreen undivided leaves, and cymes of white or red flowers. Theophrasta is a very rare stove plant, with a simple stem, and undulated spiny toothed leaves. The Ardísias are common in collections. None are natives of Europe, but are found in the hot parts of Asia, Africa, and America. Nothing is known of their properties. 408 Theophrásta L. 409 Clavíja Fl. per. 435 Ardísia W. 2160 Myrsine R. Br. 3Z2 443 Bæobótrys Vahl.
NATURAL ARRANGEMENT.