ACHILLEA, (Lat. achillOos, milfoil, yarrow, said to have been discovered by Achilles). A genus of plants of about eighty species, of the natural order Compositx, having small flowers (heads of flowers) disposed in corymbs, and the receptacle covered with chaffy scales (small bractex). The florets of the ray are fertile, and have a short. roundish tongue or lip; the florets of the disk are hermaphroditic, the tube of the corolla flatly compressed and two winged; the involucre is imbricated. The com mon Yarrow or Milfoil (Achillea millefolium) abounds in all parts of Europe and in many parts of North America—into which, however, it has perhaps been carried from Europe— growing in meadows, pastures, etc. It is about a foot in height; its leaves bipinnate, the pinnte deeply divided, the segments narrow and crowded. It has white or rose-colored flowers. The leaves have a bitterish. aromatic, somewhat austere taste, and little smell; the flowers have a strong, aromatic smell, with an aromatic bitter taste, and contain an essential oil, a resin, bitter extractive, gum, several salts, and traces of sul phur. Both leaves and flowers are used in medi cine as a powerful stimulant and tonic. The leaves were formerly much used for healing wounds, and are still so employed by the com mon people in the Highlands of Scotland and in some parts of the Continent of Europe. The ex
pressed juice is a popular spring medicine in Ger many. Yarrow is often sown along with grasses in tended to form permanent pasture for sheep. but in the United States it is generally considered a Weed in pastures. Achillea mosehata. ealled Musk Milfoil, is cultivated as food for cattle in Switzerland. Achillea moschata, atrata, and nana—all natives of the Alps—are very aro matic, and bear the name of Genipi or Genii). The inhabitants Of the Alps value them very highly, and use them for making what is called Swiss tea. Aehillea na na is said to be used in mak ing chartreuse. They are very stimulating and tonic; as are also Achillea setacea and Achillea nobilis, both natives of Switzerland and other middle parts of Europe, and Achillea ageratum, a native of the south of Europe. used by the French as a vulnerary, and called hole au char pottier. Sneezewort (Achillea ytarmira) is a native of Europe, and somewhat introdueed into the United States, one to three feet high, with lanceolate leaves, and much larger (dowers than the common Mil foil. It grows in meadows and damp places. The root, which is aromatic, is used as a substitute for Pellitory of Spain. and the whole plant is pungent and provokes a flow of saliva.