Mimulus.—Hairy Monkey-Flower.
The plant Mimulus pilosus, Watson.
Nat. Ord.—Scrophulariaceae.
COMMON NAME: Hairy monkey-flower.
Botanical Source.—This is a small annual plant, a native of California, and found growing in damp situations. It has an erect, angular stem, less than a foot high, and much branched from near the base. The entire plant is covered with soft and sticky hairs, whence the specific name. The leaves are opposite, from 1 to 2 inches long, sessile, and entire. The flowers are small, bright-yellow, and are borne on short axillary peduncles; they appear in July and August. The corolla is about 1/4 of an inch in length, and 2-lipped; it has a broad tube, a 2-lobed, erect upper lip, and a 3-lobed lower. lip, bearing 2 purple spots. The calyx is bell-shaped, slightly shorter than the corolla-tube, and has 5 unequal teeth. The fruit is a dry, 2-celled capsule, containing many seeds. This plant has never been examined chemically.
Action, Medical Uses, and Dosage.—This plant is of rather recent introduction to the profession, and deserves further investigation. A local application of the plant, in the from of a cataplasm, made either by bruising the leaves, or by steeping them in hot water, is reputed very efficient in local inflammations and painful affections, as in rheumatism, neuralgia, erysipelas, burns, etc. A tincture of the plant, in the dose of from 3 to 10 minims, repeated 3 or 4 times it day, will likewise be found beneficial in rheumatism, neuralgia and other painful disorders. In cardiac affections, the sequence of rheumatic attacks, it has proved very serviceable in several cases. In obstinate bronchial and laryngeal affections, I have derived much benefit from the use of a tincture, made with diluted alcohol, in the form of spray. It is probable that some of the other species of Mimulus possess similar properties (J. King).
