Gen. Char. Calyx one-leaved, with a spur. Petals four, unequal. Nuts three, coriaceous. Spe. Char. Leaves peltate, repend. Petals obtuse. The root of the Indian Cress is annual; the stalk is trailing, climbing, round, branched, smooth, succulent, and grows to several feet in length; the leaves are roundish, marked by several radiated ribs, entire obscurely five-lobed, and stand single upon long bending footstalks, which are attached to the centre of each leaf; the flowers are large, solitary, of a tawny yellow, and stand upon long peduncles; the calyx is yellowish, large, forming a horn-like nectarium behind, and divided at the mouth into five irregular segments, which are acute, erect, and striated; the corolla consists of five petals, which are roundish, and the two uppermost bent backwards, marked with black lines at the base, and inserted into the segments of the calyx; the three undermost have long claws or ungues, and are bearded at the base; filaments eight, which are yellow, tapering, and spreading; the anthers are yellow, ovate, and four-celled; the germen is triangular; style simple, erect, and yellow; stigma bifid; fruit three, adhering, berries, compact, externally striated, containing three irregular shaped seeds. Its flowers appear from June till October. This plant is a native of Peru, growing wild in the low lands and on the borders of small streams. It was first introduced into France in the year 1684, and there called Le grand Capucine; two years afterwards it was introduced into Europe by Dr. Lumley Lloyd, and since that time has been constantly cultivated in the English gardens, both as an ornament and a luxury for the table. In its recent state this plant, and more especially its flowers, have a smell and taste resembling those of water-cress, and the leaves, on being bruised, emit a pungent odor, similar to that of horse radish. By distillation with water they impregnate the fluid to a considerable extent with the smell and flavor of the plant. The flowers are very much used in salads, and the capsules are by many highly esteemed as a pickle. The flowers in the warm summer months, about the time of sunset, have been observed to emit sparks resembling those of electricity. Medical Properties and Uses. The root, stalk, and leaves have been considered to possess diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, and emenagogue properties, and have on that account been prescribed in the treatment of dropsies, nephritis, enteritis, cystitis, scrofular, and various eruptions of the skin. Hence the antiscorbutic character of the nasturitium seems to be well founded, at least so far as we are able to judge from its sensible qualities; therefore in all these cases where the warm antiscorbutic vegetables are recommended, this plant may be occasionally adopted as a pleasant, safe, and effectual variety. Patients to whom the taste of water-cress or scurvy-grass is nauseous or offensive, may find a grateful substitute in the nasturitium. The expressed juice may be taken in a dose of half an ounce, or prepared in an extract and taken in the form of pills, two or three a day. |