Those plants which, in the American scene, seem to be the most useful medically are presented, next. Beyond these 160 plants, almost 80 additional ones. There are at least a thousand other species whose reputed virtues are detailed in other books, so arbitrary selection was necessary here.

Although previously mentioned, it is desirable again to point out that many plants have been omitted which, though medicinally valuable, are too poisonous to be considered as home medicines. Others are of questionable value. Nor has it been possible to tell here about the medical flora of the great Southwest or of California, which differ greatly from the common flora of East, South, and Midwest.

It is hardly a deep excursion into the science of botany to point out that all plants belong to families. The knowledge of plant families may seem unimportant to the amateur herbalist, and yet it may be helpful to know relationships. For instance, if you know that a particular plant belongs to the Mint family you could assume it is aromatic; to the Cashew family, that the plant might be poisonous; to the Composite family, that the flower is daisylike.

The line illustrations are intended partly for identification but mostly as a reminder of some of the characteristics of leaf and flower.

To provide a measure of uniformity, the nomenclature throughout is that of Gray’s Manual of Botany, eighth edition, except where the plants have fallen out of the range of that book; in those cases reliable regional authorities were consulted. Set on separate lines, the botanical name is shown in boldface italics; the family name in caps and small caps; the common name in italics.