Caryophyllacea.

DIANTHUS CARYOPHYLLUS.

THE CLOVE,

OR CARNATION PINK.

Class X. DECANDRIA. Order II. DIGYNIA.

Gen. Char. Calyx cylindric, one-leaved, with four scales at the base. Petals five, with claws. Capsules cylindric, one-celled.

Spe. Char. Calycine-scales cylindric, very short. Petals crenate.

The root is perennial, firm, divided, and beset with numerous fibres; the stems are slender, smooth, branched, upright, jointed, of a glaucous, or sea-green color, and rise from one to two feet in height; the leaves upon the stem are short, linear, and placed in pairs at the joints; those of the young shoots are numerous, narrow, pointed, smooth, entire, and of the same color as the stalk; the flowers stand single at the extremities of the branches, and are of a deep crimson color; the calyx is tubular, cylindrical, divided at the mouth into five segments, and surrounded at the base with four oval pointed squamiform scales; the corolla consists of five petals, which at the limb are roundish, patent, scolloped, fringed, and attached to the common receptacle by long narrow claws; the filaments are ten, longer than the calyx, tapering, spreading towards the top, and furnished with oblong compressed anthers; the germen is oval; the styles are two, slender, longer than the filaments, and their stigma turned or curled outwards; the capsule is cylindrical, and contains many small roundish seeds.

This fragrant and beautiful plant is said to be a native of Italy, but is now cultivated by the florists in most parts of the civilized

world, chiefly as an ornament to the flower-garden. It has been known to grow wild in several parts of our country, on old walls and in the crevices of rocks; but the flowers which are pharmaceutically employed are usually produced in gardens, where they become extremely luxuriant, and by the various arts of culture those beautiful varieties have been produced which are so highly esteemed under the name of carnations.

Medical Properties and Uses. The flowers of the Clove Pink, which is the part directed for medical use, has an agreeable, pleasant, aromatic smell, somewhat allied to that of clove spice; their taste is slightly bitter and subastringent. It can be safely employed in the treatment of dropsies, as it possesses considerable diaphoretic and diuretic properties. Rectified spirits digested on the flowers receives a much paler tincture than watery liquors, but extracts the whole of their active properties. In the process of distillation or evaporation spirit elevates much less than water; the spirituous extract retaining a considerable portion of the fine smell of the flowers as well as their taste, and the color purplish like that of the watery extract. In former times the flowers of this plant were supposed to have considerable effect upon the nervous system, and were therefore recommended in headache, faintings, palpitations of the heart, convulsions, tremors, &c., and were employed to a considerable extent in the treatment of malignant and putrid fevers. At present, however, they are valued mostly for their sensible qualities, and the syrupus caryophylli rubri, which is the only officinal preparation admitted into either the London or the United States Pharmacopoeia. But its fine color and pleasant flavor renders it a very useful article in the preparation of other medicines.