northern and the western states.
The outstanding characteristics of the genus are mostly erect, much branched, twigs with long shoots with scaled leaves and dwarf branches bearing long needles surrounded by scaled leaves at the base; the leaves are either primary, solitary, scale-like, spirally arranged, and usually deciduous some weeks after their appearance. The unisexual flowers( cones, strobile) appear in the spring on the same tree. Conifers often produce twin trees resulting from the presence of more than one embryo in a single ovule. Traditionally the genus Pinus is subdivided into two main groups:( 1) the soft pine, or white pines, and( 2) the hard or yellow pines. Medical Parts: Inner bark or sprigs. Solvent: Boiling water. Bodily Influence: Expectorant. Uses: The pine trees play an important part in the domestic life of the Indian. They use pine needles for sewing, resins as cement, and the nuts as food and decoration. The appealing use as medicine and food is, to us, the most outstanding. Pine nuts were made into a paste consistency and added to soups for infants and adults. They chewed the gum resin for sore throats; the same was also dried, powdered and applied to the throat with a swab. The resin and parts of some other plants such as small twigs of Juniper( Juniperus osteosperma) were used as a tea for colds, rheumatism, tuberculosis, influenza and chronic indigestion, kidney trouble, etc. The bark and new sprigs are useful as an expectorant, to modify quality and quantity of the mucus secretions and to favour its removal in bronchial and catarrhal trouble, rheumatism, scurvy, all chest affections, tonsilitis, laryngitis, croup and the like.
It is best to combine 1 teaspoonful of each of the following with 1 pint of water: Wild cherry bark( Prunus serotina), Sassafras( Laurus) and Spikenard( Aralia racemosa); steep ½ hr.; administer ½ teaspoonful to a mouthful every hour, depending on age and condition. Of use in diabetes with Uva ursi( Arctostaphylos), Marshmallow( Avthea) and Poplar bark( Populuas tremuloides). Prepare as above and take 3 – 4 cupfuls daily of the tincture, ½ – 1 fl dram. Externally: The heated resin is used as a dressing to draw out imbedded splinters or to bring boils to a head; sores, cuts, swellings and insect bites also respond favourably. The hot resin can be spread on a hot cloth and applied as you would a mustard plaster for treating pneumonia, sciatic pains and any general muscular soreness.
WHITE PINE Pinus strobus. L.
WHITE POND LILY Nymphaea odorata, Solond.( N. O.: Nymphaeaceae)
Common Names: Water Nymph, Water Cabbage, Sweet Scented Pond Lily, Cow Lily. Features: The Lily family embraces many economically important genera, including sources of fibres, food( Onion, Garlic), spices, resins, medicines, soap, poisons and essential oils. However the so-called water lily( Nymphaea) and Calla lily( Calla palustris) are not members of the Lily family. White pond lily grows in ponds, with large, round, dark-green leaves, floating in the water, bearing a