American Root Drugs

Part 1

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY—BULLETIN NO. 107.

B. T. GALLOWAY, Chief of Bureau.

AMERICAN ROOT DRUGS.

ALICE HENKEL, ASSISTANT, DRUG-PLANT INVESTIGATIONS.

ISSUED OCTOBER 25, 1907.

WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1907.

BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY.

Pathologist and Physiologist, and Chief of Bureau, Beverly T. Galloway. Pathologist and Physiologist, and Assistant Chief of Bureau, Albert F. Woods. Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Erwin F. Smith, Pathologist in Charge. Investigations of Diseases of Fruits, Merton B. Waite, Pathologist in Charge. Laboratory of Forest Pathology, Haven Metcalf, Pathologist in Charge. Plant Life History Investigations, Walter T. Swingle, Physiologist in Charge. Cotton and Tobacco Breeding Investigations, Archibald D. Shamel, Physiologist in Charge. Corn Investigations, Charles P. Hartley, Physiologist in Charge. Alkali and Drought Resistant Plant Breeding Investigations, Thomas H. Kearney, Physiologist in Charge. Soil Bacteriology and Water Purification Investigations, Karl F. Kellerman, Physiologist in Charge. Bionomic Investigations of Tropical and Subtropical Plants, Orator F. Cook, Bionomist in Charge. Drug and Poisonous Plant Investigations and Tea Culture Investigations, Rodney H. True, Physiologist in Charge. Physical Laboratory, Lyman J. Briggs, Physicist in Charge. Crop Technology Investigations, Nathan A. Cobb, Expert in Charge. Taxonomic Investigations, Frederick V. Coville, Botanist in Charge. Farm Management Investigations, William J. Spillman, Agriculturist in Charge. Grain Investigations, Mark A. Carleton, Cerealist in Charge. Arlington Experimental Farm, Lee C. Corbett, Horticulturist in Charge. Sugar-Beet Investigations, Charles O. Townsend, Pathologist in Charge. Western Agricultural Extension Investigations, Carl S. Scofield, Agriculturist in Charge. Dry Land Agriculture Investigations, E. Channing Chilcott, Agriculturist in Charge. Pomological Collections, Gustavus B. Brackett, Pomologist in Charge. Field Investigations in Pomology, William A. Taylor and G. Harold Powell, Pomologists in Charge. Experimental Gardens and Grounds, Edward M. Byrnes, Superintendent. Vegetable Testing Gardens, William W. Tracy, sr., Superintendent. Seed and Plant Introduction, David Fairchild, Agricultural Explorer in Charge. Forage Crop Investigations, Charles V. Piper, Agrostologist in Charge. Seed Laboratory, Edgar Brown, Botanist in Charge. Grain Standardization, John D. Shanahan, Expert in Charge. Subtropical Laboratory and Garden, Miami, Fla., Ernst A. Bessey, Pathologist in Charge. Plant Introduction Garden, Chico, Cal., August Mayer, Expert in Charge. South Texas Garden, Brownsville, Tex., Edward C. Green, Pomologist in Charge. Cotton Culture Farms, Seaman A. Knapp, Lake Charles, La., Special Agent in Charge.

Editor, J. E. Rockwell. Chief Clerk, James E. Jones.

DRUG-PLANT INVESTIGATIONS.

SCIENTIFIC STAFF.

Rodney H. True, Physiologist in Charge. W. W. Stockberger, Frank Rabak, Experts. Alice Henkel, Assistant. G. Fred Klugh, T. B. Young, S. C. Hood, Scientific Assistants.

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF, Washington, D. C., April 16, 1907.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith and to recommend for publication as Bulletin No. 107 of the series of this Bureau the accompanying manuscript, entitled “American Root Drugs.” This paper was prepared by Miss Alice Henkel, Assistant in Drug-Plant Investigations, and has been submitted by the Physiologist in charge with a view to its publication.

The fifty drugs described include all the “official” roots found in this country, besides such “nonofficial” drugs as are most frequently quoted in drug catalogues.

There is a steady demand for information concerning the medicinal plants of this country, and this bulletin on American root drugs has been prepared as a first installment on the subject. It is intended as a guide and reference book for farmers, drug collectors, druggists, students, and others who may be interested in one way or another in the collection or study of our medicinal flora.

Respectfully, B. T. GALLOWAY, Chief of Bureau.

Hon. JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture.

CONTENTS.

Page. Introduction 9 The Collection of root drugs 10 Plants furnishing root drugs 11 Male-fern (Dryopteris filix-mas and D. marginalis) 11 Couch-grass (Agropyron repens) 12 Wild turnip (Arisaema triphyllum) 13 Skunk-cabbage (Spathyema foetida) 15 Sweet-flag (Acorus calamus) 16 Chamaelirium, or Helonias (Chamaelirium luteum) 17 American hellebore (Veratrum viride) 18 Aletris (Aletris farinosa) 19 Bethroot (Trillium erectum) 20 Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) 21 Blue flag (Iris versicolor) 22 Lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium hirsutum and C. parviflorum) 23 Crawley-root (Corallorhiza odontorhiza) 24 Canada snakeroot (Asarum canadense) 25 Serpentaria (Aristolochia serpentaria and A. reticulata) 26 Yellow dock (Rumex crispus) 27 Pokeweed (Phytolacca decandra) 29 Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) 31 Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) 31 Goldthread (Coptis trifolia) 34 Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) 35 Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium) 36 Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) 37 Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) 38 May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum) 39 Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense) 40 Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) 40 Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) 41 Indian-physic (Porteranthus trifoliatus) 42 Wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) 43 Crane’s-bill (Geranium maculatum) 44 Seneca snakeroot (Polygala senega) 45 Stillingia (Stillingia sylvatica) 47 Wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) 48 Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) 49 Water-eryngo (Eryngium yuccifolium) 50 American angelica (Angelica atropurpurea) 51 Yellow jasmine or jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) 51 Pinkroot (Spigelia marilandica) 52 American colombo (Frasera carolinensis) 53 Black Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) 55 Pleurisy-root (Asclepias tuberosa) 56 Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) 57 Stoneroot (Collinsonia canadensis) 58 Culver’s-root (Veronica virginica) 59 Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) 60 Queen-of-the-meadow (Eupatorium purpureum) 61 Elecampane (Inula helenium) 62 Echinacea (Brauneria angustifolia) 63 Burdock (Arctium lappa) 64 Explanation of plates 68 Index 69

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PLATES. Page. PLATE I. Fig. 1.—Marginal-fruited shield-fern (Dryopteris marginalis). Fig. 2.—Skunk-cabbage (Spathyema foetida). Fig. 3.—Sweet-flag (Acorus calamus). Fig. 4.—Bethroot (Trillium erectum). 68 II. Fig. 1.—Chamaelirium (Chamaelirium luteum). Fig. 2.—Aletris (Aletris farinosa). Fig. 3.—Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa). Fig. 4.—Blue flag (Iris versicolor). 68 III. Fig. 1.—Large yellow lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium hirsutum). Fig. 2.—Canada snakeroot (Asarum canadense). Fig. 3.—Virginia serpentaria (Aristolochia serpentaria). Fig. 4.—Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis). 68 IV. Fig. 1.—Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium). Fig. 2.—Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides). Fig. 3.—Canada moonseed (Menispermum canadense). Fig. 4.—Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens). 68 V. Fig. 1.—Indian-physic (Porteranthus trifoliatus). Fig. 2.—Wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis). Fig. 3.—Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium). Fig. 4.—Water-eryngo (Eryngium yuccifolium). 68 VI. Fig. 1.—American angelica (Angelica atropurpurea). Fig. 2.—Pinkroot (Spigelia marilandica). Fig. 3.—Pleurisy-root (Asclepias tuberosa). Fig. 4.—Comfrey (Symphytum officinale). 68 VII. Fig. 1.—Stoneroot (Collinsonia canadensis). Fig. 2.—Queen-of-the-meadow (Eupatorium purpureum). Fig. 3.—Elecampane (Inula helenium). Fig. 4.—Echinacea (Brauneria angustifolia). 68

TEXT FIGURES.

FIG. 1. Couch-grass (Agropyron repens) 13 2. Wild turnip (Arisaema triphyllum) 14 3. American hellebore (Veratrum viride) 19 4. Crawley-root (Corallorhiza odontorhiza) 25 5. Yellow dock (Rumex crispus), first year’s growth 27 6. Broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius), leaf, fruiting spike, and root 28 7. Pokeweed (Phytolacca decandra), flowering and fruiting branch 30 8. Pokeweed root 30 9. Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), flowering plant and fruit 32 10. Goldenseal rootstock 33 11. Goldthread (Coptis trifolia) 34 12. Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), leaves, flowering spikes, and rootstock 35 13. Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla), plant and seed capsule 38 14. May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum), upper portion of plant with flower, and rootstock 39 15. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), flowering plant with rootstock 41 16. Wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria), branch showing flowers and seed pods 43 17. Crane’s-bill (Geranium maculatum), flowering plant, showing also seed pods and rootstock 45 18. Seneca snakeroot (Polygala senega), flowering plant with root 46 19. Stillingia (Stillingia sylvatica), upper portion of plant and part of spike showing male flowers 47 20. Yellow jasmine (Gelsemium sempervirens) 52 21. American colombo (Frasera carolinensis), leaves, flowers, and seed pods 54 22. Black Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum), flowering portion, pods, and rootstock 55 23. Culver’s-root (Veronica virginica), flowering top and rootstock 59 24. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) 61 25. Burdock (Arctium lappa), flowering branch and root 64

Part 2

B. P. I.—283.

AMERICAN ROOT DRUGS.

INTRODUCTION.

More than half of the root drugs recognized in the Eighth Decennial Revision of the United States Pharmacopœia occur in this country, some native and not growing elsewhere and others introduced. All of the official root drugs found in the United States have been included in this bulletin, as well as such native and introduced “nonofficial” roots (those not at present recognized in the United States Pharmacopœia) as seemed to be most generally quoted in the trade lists of the country, the total number of root drugs described being 50. While the most important root drugs thus given are limited to 50, there are included under each of these, wherever required, brief descriptions of related species. It would be impossible to include within the limits of this paper all of the root drugs that are used in this country, but the aim has been to give information concerning those which seem to be the most important commercially, according to the numerous drug lists that have been consulted.

All of the root drugs herein mentioned occur in quantities sufficient for commercial purposes, but the roots of many of the species that also occur in other countries are nevertheless largely imported.

In speaking of “root drugs” in this paper only those are included of which the underground portion is found in commerce, whether in the form of root, rootstock, bulb, or corm, excluding the roots that are used solely for their bark or for their gums or resins.

Except in the botanical descriptions, the term “roots” is generally used, regardless of the fact that the part under consideration may be a rootstock, root, or bulb. In this the commercial practice is followed, which makes no distinction as to the form of the underground portion as classified by botanists, but catalogues them all under the general term “roots.”

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