American Medicinal Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds (c. 1913) - Alice Henkel.

American Medicinal Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds (1913)

By Alice Henkel
Bulletin No. 26, United States Department of Agriculture · Bureau of Plant Industry

A fascinating illustrated glimpse into the medicinal plant trade of early twentieth-century America, from fragrant linden blossoms and juniper berries to the dangerous seeds of poison hemlock and thorn apple.

Published in December 1913, this historical botanical bulletin documents thirteen plants whose flowers, fruits or seeds were gathered and sold for medicinal purposes. Alice Henkel records their identifying features, habitats, traditional uses, harvesting and drying methods, and the wholesale prices paid by drug dealers of the period.

Inside this illustrated historical guide:

• Practical advice from 1913 on collecting, drying, preserving and marketing medicinal flowers, fruits and seeds.
• Botanical descriptions and illustrations to accompany the plants discussed.
• Juniper berries, saw palmetto, American wormseed and pokeweed.
• Black and white mustard, raspberries, prickly ash and smooth sumac.
• American linden flowers, poison hemlock and jimson weed (thorn apple).
• Historical medicinal uses, pharmacy standards and wholesale market prices.

Especially intriguing is the contrast between familiar botanical remedies and highly poisonous plants that once circulated in the pharmaceutical trade. The bulletin also offers a rare view of the economics of herbal gathering over a century ago.

An engaging primary source for herbalists, botanical historians, foragers and readers interested in the history of the apothecary, medicinal plant commerce and traditional American materia medica.

The Ancestral Library | Hearthwise Herbals

Carefully presented as a historical reference for education and research. Descriptions of medicinal uses reflect practices and beliefs recorded in 1913, not current medical guidance. Some plants discussed are extremely poisonous; do not use this publication as an identification or treatment manual.

Digital historical facsimile · English · Originally published 1913 · Illustrated · 22-page cleaned PDF.