ASTRAGALUS

(Lat.), n. m. A?s(a®s)-tra?g(tra®g)'a:-lu?s(luts). Gr, create dorps (3d def.). Fr.,astragale. Ger., Sprung be in (3d def.), Wiirfelbein (3d def.), Rolibein (8d def.), Wirteibein (3d def.). It.,astragalo. Sp., astrégalo. Syn.: talus (3d def.), quatrio (3d def.), os ballistæ (3d def.). 1. An old name for one of the cervical vertebree. [A, 311.] 2. Anciently, any small bone used in the pane) of dice. [A,311.] 3. The ankle bone, the sling bone, the huckle-bone, the first bone of the tarsus; an Eee cubical bone whi forms the key-stone of the arch of the foot, articulating above with the tibia and fibula, anteriorly (by a large convex head) with the scaphoid bone, and inferiorly (by two synovial joints, one behind the other) with the os calcis. The superior articulation (the ankle joint proper) is a simple pipe ieee allowing of antero-posterior motion, the rolling lateral mobility of the foot being provided for in the articulations between the a. and the os calcis below and the scaphoid bone in front. The convex part i on which articulates with the scaphoid bone is termed the head, the constricted portion behind it the neck, and the remainder of the bone the body. The a. of the hare and that of the pig were recommended by the ancients in the treatment of epilepsy, difficult (ee colic, and calculous affections, also for the pain following fractures. [A, 5, 70, 825.] 4. An ancient measure used by physicians. [A, 311.] 5. A Tefumninos, plant mentioned by Dioscorides. 6. Of Linnæus, the milk-vetch, a genus of herbaceous or suffructicose, papilionaceous pens belonging to the tribe Galegeæ, subtribe Astragaleæ, bearing imparipinnate leaves, flowers growing in axillary clusters with 5-parted calyx, blunt carina, and diadelphous stamen, and fruit consisting of a legume divided into 2 compartments by a reflection of the cell-wall inward. [B, 34.]—A. aboriginum [Richards]. A species growing in the polar regions of North America, where its sweet, juicy root is eaten. [B, 270.|—A. a can tho ides (Lamarck). See A. dec lin at us—A. ammodytes [Pallas]. A perennial herb indigenous to Siberia, all parts of which are sweet and can be used as à substitute for licorice. [B, 173, 214; L, 105.|—A. angustifolius [Lamarck]. A shrubby species, of which the principal variety, A. angustifolius, var. a genu in us (the A. echinoides of L’Héritier), indigenous to Greece and Crete, is distinguished by its peduncles shorter than the leaves and its whitish-yellow corolla. is variety furnishes a sort of tragacanth. The varieties 4. angustifolius, var. B violaceus with violet corolla, and var. y glabrescens, also occur in Greece, and the A. angustifolius, var. § peduncular is (the A. bracteolatus of De Candolle), so called from its longish peduncles equaling or excelling in bene the bracteate, is found in Galatia and Cappadocia. [B, 63, 173.]—A. arengrins [Pallas], See 4. hypogloffis. A. argenteus [Wheeler]. Probably the À. syriacus. {B, 200.1 —Aaristatns. 1. Of LHerk tier, a perennial herb (the A. sempervirens of Lamarck, the Tpaydravda év “Apeadla of Eresios) with spiny petioles, hairy mucronate leaves, and aristate calyx, growing throughout the mountainous districts of southern Europe. It is said to furnish a variety of tragacanth which is largel exported from Morea, 2. Of the ‘Flora greeca,” the A. Parna i. |B, 63,71, eu arnacantha sense A Caucasian species said to furnish a slight amount of tragacanth of poor quality. Its root contains much mucilage. [B, 63, 180.]— A. ascendens [Boi ier and Hau knecht]. An undershrub about 4 feet in height, growing on the mountains of southwestern Persia, having branches at first prostrate, finally ascending, and bearing compound leaves provided with adnate triangular stipules, tomentose at the base, glabrous at the apex, and made up of 4 to 6 pairs of hairy, oblong-linear, mucronate leaflets. It is said to furnish a large quantity of tragacanth and a variety of manna like that afforded by A. florulentus. [B, 63, 106, 270; L, 78.]—A. aureus [Willdenow]. À species growing in Armenia, Turkey, and the Caucasus, closely resembling A. aristatus, but bearing se ile yellowish flowers. [B, 63, 214.|—A. bietieus [Linnaus]. Fr. café français. Ger., span is cher Tragacanth. An annual herb growing in southern Europe and northern Africa, with ascending stem and compound leaves, having ovate acuminate stipules, and consisting of from 10 to 15 pairs of obtuse oblong leaflets. The seeds, which are contained in an erect 3-sided pod, are sometimes employed as a substitute for coffee. [B. 63, 180.j—A. bethlemitieus [Boi ier]. A species growing in Lebanon, Syria, and Judæa. [B, 63.|—A. Boi ieri [Bunge]. The A. cretic us of Linnæus, [B, 63.j—A. brachycalyx ches A Ere about 3 feet high, closely related to A. ascendens, from which it differs ey in the larger size and elliptical shape of its leaflets and in its oval obtuse bracts. It is a native of Persian Kurdistan and furnishes tragacanth. [B. 63, 106; L, 78,]—A. bracteolatus [De Candolle]. The A. angustifolius, var. & peduncular is. iB 63:]—A. carnosus. 1, Of Nuttall, the A: caryocarpus. 2. Of Pursh, a trailing shrub bear in fleshy pods, indigenous to the southern United States. [B, 71, 214. — A, caryocarpus [“ Botanical Register]. An annual herb grow- ‘ing in thé southern and western United States; counted among the medicinal plants. [B, 214; ‘ Proc. of the Am. Pharm, A oc.,” xxix,. 447 (B).]—A. cancasicus [Pallas]. A shrubby species growing in the Caucasus and furnishing tragacanth. [B, 63, 173.]—A. caudatns [Pallas]. See Oxyrroris caudata—A. cephalonicus Fischer]. A variety of A. aristatus. [B, 63,|—A. chartosteglus frs and Hausknecht]. An oriental species furnishing a variety of manna like that afforded by A. florulentus, [B,270.]—A.ehristianns [Linnæus]. An herbaceous species having au erect stalk with leaves having linear subulate stipules and elliptical leaflets, and with clusters of yellow flowers, indigenous to Armenia and Judea, [B, 71, 214.J—A. ey, (Boi ier and Bolt: A variety of the A. aureus. [B, 68.J—A. cicer [Linnæus]. Syn.: Astragaloides cicera [Minch]. rennial herb growing throughout m dle and southern Europe, Ru ia, the Caucasus, and Siberia, eı ployed as a forage plant and having an edible seed used in Rus- O, no; 0%, not; 0%, whole; Th, thin; Th?, the; U, like 00 in too; U2, blue; U8, lull; Us, full; US, urn; US, like ü (German). 62 sia as a food for children. The seeds are said to be laxative and detersive. [B, 63, 173; L, 91, 105.]—A. cornutus [Pallas]. See A. vimineus.—A. cra i carpus [Fras.]. See A. caryocarpus.—A. cretic us [Lamarck]. Fr., astragale de Crête. Ger., kretischer Traganth. Syn.: A. Boi ieri [Bunge], Tragacanth a cretic a in can a El‘onrncfort]. A ranching shrub N indigenous _ to # with stems an >> branches covered SS with thickly-set == - hairs_and_‘short spines, and bearing leaves composed of 5 or 6 pes of oblong leaflets terminating in spinous points and covered with whitish hairs, and flowers in se ile globular heads. | It is said to furnish a small amount of tragacanth (according to Martius, the vermicelli tragacanth of the Morea). It is the Tpaydravda ey Kpim of Eresios. The A. cretic us of Willdenow is the A. angustifolius, var. a. |B, 18, 63, 106, 214.)— A. crotalariæ [Gray]. A species wing on the Pacific coast of California; according to some authorities, the poisonous rattle-weed or loco-weed which produces in cattle feeding upon it the disease called loco, [* Proc. of the Am. Pharm. A oc.,” xxvii, p. 247 (B).] Cf. A. Hornii and A. moil is sim us,—A. eylleneus [Boi ier and Heldreich]. A shrub growing in the Peloponnesus, having short branches armed with long slender spines, and bearing leaves composed of 5 pairs of oblong obtuse leaflets terminating in a long spine and flowers in oval or oblong heads. It furnishes a variety of the rae pcanuty exported from Greece. [B, 63, 106; L, 5) A. danicus [Hoffmann]. | See A. hypo glottis.—A. dec lin at us [Willdenow]. A species growing in Armenia, Turkey, the Caucasus, and Kurdistan. [B, 63,—A. denudatus [Stev.]. See À. microcephal us.—A. Dioscoridis quibusdam, A. Dioscoridis vulgo Christ i ane radix. A name applied to a plant probably the A. syriacus or the A. christian us. - [B, 200A. echinoldes [L’Héritier], A. echioides [Willdenow]. The À. angustifolius, var. a genu in us, [B, 214.)—A. erianthus [Willdehow], See A, gummifer.—A. ericantha [Stev.]. See A. arnacantha.—A. erinaceus [Presl]. The A. angustifolius, var. a genu in us. [B, 63.|—A. eriocaulos [De Candolle]. See À. mic roc epha i us.—A. eriophaca [Ball.]. See PHacA beetica,—A. exseapus [Linnæus]. Fr., astragale sans tige (ou à gou es velus). Ger., sten gel loser Traganth. Syn.: Astragaloides syphilitic a [Mäneh]: Stemle milk-vetch, A perennial European herb with very short stem covered with shaggy hairs and bearing imparipinnate leaves with deciduous petiole, adnate deciduous stipules, and ovate leaflets, and capitulate racemes of flowers upon short stalks. The root, which 5 cylindrical, from 3} to 1 inch in thickne , and frequently 2 feet in length is odorle , has a taste at first bitter and astringent, afterward sweetish, and contains a bitter extractive principle, and mucilage. Under the name of radix astragali exscapi, it was formerly much employed as a diuretic and diaphoretic, and was especially used as a remedy for the various complications of the later stages of syphilis, and also for gout and rheumatism. B, 173, 180.] — A. florid us {Bokeh See À. christian us. —A, florulentus [Boi ier and Hau knecht]. A species indigenous to southwestern Persia, related in botanical characters to A. leiocladas. It furnishes a variety of manna (the gaz anjabin, gaz alef i, or gaz khonsari of the Persians) which contains dextrin, uncrystallizable sugar, and acids. ([B, 63, 370; L, 78.J— A, glaucoides The Coronilta varia. [B, 214.) — A. glaux [Linneus). Fr., her be au lait. Synz Astragaloides glaux [Minch], An annual herh growing in dry places in the south of France and in Spain, believed to be the yAaÿë of Dioscorides. This plant, prepared with a decoction of