DIOSOPVROS.—PERSIMMON.

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ternaHy. It is almost destitute of smell ;its taste is sweetish, slightly astringent andaromatic.

2. Doronicum plantagineum, Linn.

Synonime. — Doronic à feuilles de plan-tain, Fr.

Gall.

This plant is common in the woods ofEurope.

Its root may be substituted for that ofthe preceding species.

These two roots have been reputed atone time to be poisons, at others, counter-poisons. They were formerly believed todestroy leopards.

They have been employed in vertigo, epi-lepsy, and amenorrhoea.

DRACONTIUM FOETIDUM, Willd.— SKUNK-CABBAGE,SWAMP-CABBAGE.

Synonime :— Pothos fétide, Fk.

COXE.

A plant of North America. (GynandriaPolyandria, Linn. ; Aroïdeœ, Juss. ; Fig.Journ. Compl. t. III. p. 90.)

The root consists of very numerous cy-lindrical, long fibres of the thickness of

two or three lines, and of a red-brown co-lour. It has, in common with the whole ofthe plant, the scent of the pole-cat, exceed-ingly diffusible and penetrating.

It is employed in America, as an anti-spas-modic, either in the form of powder or ofdecoction.

DROSERA.— SUNDEW.

Two species of this genus are used inmedicine.

1. Drosera longifoüa, Linn.-Sundew.

•Long-leaved

Synonime :— Rossolisàfeuilleslongues, Fr.Gall.

A plant of Europe. (Pentandria Penta-gynia, Linn.; Capparideœ, Juss.; Fig.Mor. Hist. 1. 15. t. 4. f. 2.)

This species scarcely differs from the fol-lowing, except by its oval, oblong leaves.

2. Drosera rotundifolia, Linn. — Round-leaved Sundew.

Synonimes ■ — Rossolis à feuilles rondes,Rosée du Soleil, Herbe à la rosée, Fa. ;Sonnenthan, Germ. ; Soelang, Dan. ;Roviada, Span; Zonnedaauw, Dut.;

Rugiosa del sole, It al. ; Rosgozk, Pol.;Rosolina, Port. ; Mariai fileshaar, S wed.

Bruns. ; Gall. ; Wirtem. ; Bergius ;Murray and Gmelin ; Spielmann.

This plant is common in the marshes ofEurope. (Fig- Zorn, Ic.pl. t. 470.)

The herb [Herba Rorls Solis seu Rorellue)is employed. It consists of a star of roundviscous leaves, with long petioles, glandu-lous, and furnished with reddish fringes atthe summit. It is almost without odour,and its taste is bitter, acrid, and even caustic.

It is a violent stimulant, and is epispasticexternally. It was formerly prescribed in-ternally in dropsy, diseases of the lungs,ophthalmia, and intermittent fevers. Thekind of acrid dew which exudes from itsglandules was much esteemed by the alchy-mists.

DIOSPYROS VIRGINIANA, Li>n.— PERSIMMON.

Synonime :Fr.

Plaqueminier de Virginie,

Amer. ; CoxE.

A Tree of North America. (Polygamia,Diœcia, Linn ; Ebenaceœ, Juss. ; Fig. Cat.Carol. 2. t. 76.)

The bark and fruit are employed.

The inner bark is extremely bitter. Ithas been employed with success, accordingto Breckel, in intermittent fevers.

The fruit is an oval, succulent berry, ofthe size of a plum, and of an agreeabletaste.