Eriodictyon californicum, (Hooker et Arnolt) Bentham et Torrey. The dried leaf with not more than 5 p.c. stems nor 2 p.c. other foreign organic matter.

Habitat. California, Northern Mexico; dry hills, mountains.

Syn. Eriodict, Yerba Santa, Bear's-, Consumptive's- or Tar Weed, Mountain Balm, Gum Plant, Gum-bush.

Er-i-o-dic'ty-on. L. fr. Gr...., wool, + ..., a net i.e., woolly, net-veined leaves.

Cal-i-for'ni-cum. L. Californicus, California, of or belonging to California -- i.e., its habitat.

Eriodictyon leaves, natural size; a, upper surface; b, under surface.

Plant

Evergreen shrub, 1-1.5 M 3-5 degrees) high; stem smooth, resinous; flowers 12 Mm. (1/2') long, bluish-purple, funnel-shaped; 5's, racemes. LEAVES (LEAF), lanceolate, 5-15 Cm. (2-6') long, 1-3 Cm. (2/5-1 1/5') broad, acute, base slightly tapering into short broad petiole irregularly serrate, crenate-dentate; upper surface yellowish-green, covered with a more or less glistening resin; under surface yellowish-white, conspicuously reticulate with greenish-yellow veins; minutely tomentose between the reticulations; thick, brittle; odor aromatic; taste balsamic, bitter, sweetish.

Powder

greenish -- non-glandular hairs; glandular hairs, tracheae, lignified fibers, few starch grains, numerous calcium oxalate crystals in rosette aggregates. Solvent: 80 p.c. alcohol. Dose, 5ss-1 (2-4 Gm.).

Commercial

Plant grows among rocks and presents a striking appearance from its shining resinous coating on all green parts.

Constituents

Volatile oil .1 p.c., resin (complex, nearly soluble in ether) 30 p.c., triacontane, C30H62, pentatriacontane, C35H41O6, .23 p.c., eriodictyol, phenol, glucose, phytosterol, tannin, gum.

Preparations

1. Fluidextractum Eriodictyi. Fluidextract of Eriodictyon. (Syn., Fldext. Eriodict., Fluid Extract of Eriodictyon, Fluidextract of Yerba Santa; Fr. Extrait fluide d'Eriodictyon; Ger. Eriodictyonfluidextrakt.)

Manufacture

Similar to Fluidextractum Colchici, page 111; menstruum: 80 p.c. alcohol; reserve first 80 cc. Dose, mxv-60 (1-4 cc.).

Preps.: 1. Elixir Eriodictyi Aromaticum, N.F., 6 p.c., + syrup 50, elix. tarax. co. 44, mag. Carb. 1, pumice 3. Dose 3j-w (4-8 c.). 2. Syrupus Eriodictyi Aromaticus, N.F., 3.2 p.c., + liq.pot. hydrox. 2.5, tr. cardam. co. 6.5 ol.sassaf., ol.limon. aa, 1/20, ol. caryoph. 1/10, alcohol 3.2, sucrose 80, mag. carb. 1/2, water q.s., 100. Dose, 3j-2 (4-8 cc.).

Unoff Preps.: Extract, gr. 2-10 (.13-.6 Gm.). Syrup -- made like syrup of tolu (pineapple odor and taste).

Properties

Stimulating expectorant, bitter tonic.

Uses

Bronchitis, asthma, to disguise bitterness of quinine. E. Tomento'sum grows along with the official plant, and differs in being larger and having a dense coat of short villous hairs, which become whitish or rust-colored by age; corolla salver-form; leaves oval, obtuse.