Medicinal plants -- United States; Weeds -- Therapeutic use -- United States
=Other common names.=—Horseweed, colt’s tail, scabious, prideweed,
butter weed, fireweed, blood-stanch, cow’s tail, bitter weed. (Fig. 25.)
[Illustration: FIG. 25.—Canada fleabane (_Leptilon canadense_ (L.)
Britton).]
=Range and habitat.=—This weed is common in damp, sandy soils in fields
and waste places and along roadsides in many parts of the United
States, especially throughout the northern Mississippi Valley.
=Description.=—Canada fleabane is an annual weed belonging to the aster
family (Asteraceæ). The stem, which is bristly-hairy, or sometimes
smooth, varies greatly in height, according to the soil, being
sometimes only 3 inches high, and in favorable soil often reaching a
height of 10 feet. The larger plants are branched near the top. The
leaves are usually somewhat hairy, those scattered along the stem being
rather narrow, with unbroken margins, and the lower ones slightly
toothed. From June to November numerous heads of small inconspicuous
white flowers are produced, followed by an abundance of seed.
=Parts used.=—The entire herb is medicinal, and should be gathered
during the flowering period and carefully dried. It has a faint,
agreeable odor and a somewhat astringent and bitter taste. The fresh
herb on distillation yields a volatile oil which is sold as oil of
fleabane.
The common name “blood stanch” indicates the use of this plant for
arresting hemorrhages from various sources and the bleeding of wounds.
It is useful also in diarrhea and dropsy.
=Price.=—The price paid for erigeron or flea bane ranges from 6 to 8
cents per pound.
JIMSON WEED.
_Datura stramonium_ L.
=Other common names.=—Jamestown weed (from which “jimson” weed is
derived), thorn-apple, stinkweed, stinkwort, devil’s apple, mad-apple,
devil’s trumpet, fireweed, Jamestown lily, dewtry, apple of Peru. (Fig.
26).
[Illustration: FIG. 26.—Jimson weed (_Datura stramonium_ L.).]
=Range and habitat.=—Jimson weed is exceedingly common in fields and
waste places throughout the entire country with the exception of the
North and West. It is native in the Tropics and widely scattered in
nearly all warm countries.
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