Part 12

Other common names.—Jeffersonia, rheumatism-root, helmetpod, ground-squirrel pea, yellowroot.

Habitat and range.—Twinleaf inhabits rich shady woods from New York to Virginia and westward to Wisconsin.

Description of plant.—This native herbaceous perennial is only about 6 to 8 inches in height when in flower. At the fruiting stage it is frequently 18 inches in height. It is one of our early spring plants, and its white flower, resembling that of bloodroot, is produced as early as April.

The long-stemmed, smooth leaves, produced in pairs and arising from the base of the plant, are rather oddly formed. They are about 3 to 6 inches long, 2 to 4 inches wide, heart shaped or kidney shaped, but parted lengthwise into two lobes or divisions, really giving the appearance of two leaves; hence the common name “twinleaf.” The flower with its eight oblong, spreading white petals measures about 1 inch across, and is borne at the summit of a slender stalk arising from the root. The many-seeded capsule is about 1 inch long, leathery, somewhat pear shaped, and opening halfway around near the top, the upper part forming a sort of lid. (Fig. 13.) Twinleaf belongs to the barberry family (Berberidaceæ).

Description of rootstock.—Twinleaf has a horizontal rootstock, with many fibrous, much-matted roots, and is very similar to that of blue cohosh, but not so long. It is thick, knotty, yellowish brown externally, with a resinous bark, and internally yellowish. The inner portion is nearly tasteless, but the bark has a bitter and acrid taste.

Collection, prices, and uses.—The rootstock is collected in autumn, and is used as a diuretic, alterative, antispasmodic, and a stimulating diaphoretic. Large doses are said to be emetic and smaller doses tonic and expectorant. The price paid for twinleaf root ranges from about 5 to 7 cents a pound.

MAY-APPLE.

Podophyllum peltatum L.

Pharmacopœial name.—Podophyllum.

Other common names.—Mandrake, wild mandrake, American mandrake, wild lemon, ground-lemon, hog-apple, devil’s-apple, Indian apple, raccoon-berry, duck’s-foot, umbrella-plant, vegetable calomel.

Habitat and range.—The May-apple is an indigenous plant, found in low woods, usually growing in patches, from western Quebec to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas.

Description of plant.—A patch of May-apple can be distinguished from afar, the smooth, dark-green foliage and close and even stand making it a conspicuous feature of the woodland vegetation.

May-apple is a perennial plant, and belongs to the barberry family (Berberidaceæ). It is erect, and grows about 1 foot in height. The leaves are only two in number, circular in outline, but with five to seven deep lobes, the lobes 2 cleft, and toothed at the apex; they are dark green above, the lower surface lighter green and somewhat hairy or smooth, sometimes 1 foot in diameter, and borne on long leafstalks which are fixed to the center of the leaf, giving it an umbrella-like appearance. The waxy-white, solitary flower, sometimes 2 inches in diameter, appears in May, nodding on its short stout stalk, generally right between the two large umbrella-like leaves, which shade it and hide it from view. (Fig. 14.) The fruit which follows is lemon shaped, at first green, then yellow, about 2 inches in length, and edible, although when eaten immoderately it is known to have produced bad effects.

In a patch of May-apple plants there are always a number of sterile or flowerless stalks, which bear leaves similar to those of the flowering plants.

Description of rootstock.—The horizontally creeping rootstock of May-apple (fig. 14), when taken from the ground, is from 1 to 6 feet or more in length, flexible, smooth, and round, dark brown on the outside and whitish and fleshy within; at intervals of a few inches are thickened joints, on the upper surface of which are round stem scars and on the lower side a tuft of rather stout roots. Sometimes the rootstock bears lateral branches. The dried rootstock, as it occurs in the stores, is in irregular, somewhat cylindrical pieces, smooth or somewhat wrinkled, yellowish brown or dark brown externally, whitish to pale brown internally, breaking with a short, sharp fracture, the surface of which is mealy. The odor is slight and the taste at first sweetish, becoming very bitter and acrid.

Collection, prices, and uses.—The proper time for collecting the rootstock is in the latter half of September or in October. The price paid for May-apple root ranges from 3 to 6 cents a pound.

May-apple root, which is recognized as official in the United States Pharmacopœia, is an active cathartic, and was known as such to the Indians.

CANADA MOONSEED.

Menispermum canadense L.

Other common names.—Menispermum, yellow parilla, Texas sarsaparilla, yellow sarsaparilla, vine-maple. (Pl. IV, fig. 3.)

Habitat and range.—Canada moonseed is usually found along streams in woods, climbing over bushes, its range extending from Canada to Georgia and Arkansas.

Description of plant.—This native perennial woody climber reaches a length of from 6 to 12 feet, the round, rather slender stem bearing very broad, slender-stalked leaves. These leaves are from 4 to 8 inches wide, smooth and green on the upper surface and paler beneath, roundish in outline and entire, or sometimes lobed and resembling the leaves of some of our maples, whence the common name “vine-maple” is probably derived. The bases of the leaves are generally heart shaped and the apex pointed or blunt. In July the loose clusters of small yellowish or greenish white flowers are produced, followed in September by bunches of black one-seeded fruit, covered with a “bloom” and very much resembling grapes. Canada moonseed belongs to the moonseed family (Menispermaceæ).

Description of rootstock.—The rootstock and roots are employed in medicine. In the stores it will be found in long, straight pieces, sometimes 3 feet in length, only about one-fourth of an inch in thickness, yellowish brown or grayish brown, finely wrinkled lengthwise, and giving off fine, hairlike, branched, brownish roots from joints which occur every inch or so. The inside shows a distinct white pith of variable thickness and a yellowish white wood with broad, porous wood rays, the whole breaking with a tough, woody fracture. It has practically no odor, but a bitter taste.

Collection, prices, and uses.—Canada moonseed is collected in autumn, and brings from 4 to 8 cents a pound. It is used as a tonic, alterative, and diuretic, and was official in the United States Pharmacopœia for 1890.

BLOODROOT.

Sanguinaria canadensis L.

Pharmacopœial name.—Sanguinaria.

Other common names.—Redroot, red puccoon, red Indian-paint, puccoon-root, coonroot, white puccoon, pauson, snakebite, sweet-slumber, tetterwort, turmeric.