Part 5

Chamaelirium is an erect, somewhat fleshy herb, perennial, and belongs to the bunchflower family (Melanthiaceæ). The male plant grows to a height of from 1½ to 2½ feet, and the female plant is sometimes 4 feet tall and is also more leafy.

The plants have both basal and stem leaves, whereas Aletris has only the basal leaves. The basal leaves of Chamaelirium are broad and blunt at the top, narrowing toward the base into a long stem; they are sometimes so much broadened at the top that they may be characterized as spoon shaped, and are from 2 to 8 inches long and from one-half to 1½ inches wide. The stem leaves are lance shaped and sharp pointed, on short stems or stemless. (Pl. II, fig. 1.)

The white starry flowers of Chamaelirium are produced from June to July, those of the male plant being borne in nodding, graceful, plumelike spikes 3 to 9 inches long (Pl. II, fig. 1) and those of the female plant in erect spikes. The many-seeded capsule is oblong, opening by three valves at the apex.

Another species is now recognized, Chamaelirium obovale Small, which seems to differ chiefly in having larger flowers and obovoid capsules.

Description of rootstock.—The rootstock of Chamaelirium does not in the least resemble that of Aletris, with which it is so generally confused. It is from one-half to 2 inches in length, generally curved upward at one end in the form of a horn (whence the common name, “unicorn”) and having the appearance of having been bitten off. (Pl. II, fig. 1.) It is of a dark-brown color, with fine transverse wrinkles, rough, on the upper surface showing a few stem scars, and giving off from all sides numerous brown fibrous rootlets. The more recent rootlets have a soft outer covering, which in the older rootlets has worn away, leaving the fine but tough and woody whitish center. The rootlets penetrate to the central part of the rootstock, and this serves as a distinguishing character from Aletris, as a transverse section of Chamaelirium very plainly shows these fibers extending some distance within the rootstock. Furthermore, the rootstock of Chamaelirium exhibits a number of small holes wherever these rootlets have broken off, giving it the appearance of having become “wormy.” It is hard and horny within and has a peculiar odor and a very bitter, disagreeable taste, whereas Aletris is not at all bitter.

Collection, prices, and uses.—Chamaelirium should be collected in autumn. The prices paid to collectors may be said to range from about 30 to 45 cents a pound. In the fall of 1906 a scarcity of this root was reported. As already indicated, Chamaelirium and Aletris are often gathered and mistaken for each other by collectors, but, as will be seen from the preceding description, there is really no excuse for such error.

From the confusion that has existed properties peculiar to the one plant have also been attributed to the other, but it seems now generally agreed that Chamaelirium is of use especially as a tonic in derangements of women.

AMERICAN HELLEBORE.

Veratrum viride Ait.

Pharmacopœial name.—Veratrum.

Other common names.—True veratrum, green veratrum, American veratrum, green hellebore, swamp-hellebore, big hellebore, false hellebore, bear-corn, bugbane, bugwort, devil’s-bite, earth-gall, Indian poke, itchweed, tickleweed, duckretter.

Habitat and range.—American hellebore is native in rich wet woods, swamps, and wet meadows, its range extending from Canada, Alaska, and Minnesota south to Georgia.

Description of plant.—Early in spring, usually in company with the skunk-cabbage, the large, bright-green leaves of American hellebore make their way through the soil, their straight, erect leaf spears forming a conspicuous feature of the yet scanty spring vegetation. Later in the season a stout and erect leafy stem is sent up, sometimes growing as tall as 6 feet. It is solid and round, pale green, very leafy, and closely surrounded by the sheathing bases of the leaves, unbranched except in the flowering head. The leaves are hairy, prominently nerved, folded or pleated like a fan. They have no stems, but their bases encircle or sheathe the main stalk, and are very large, especially the lower ones, which are from 6 to 12 inches in length, from 3 to 6 inches in width, and broadly oval. As they approach the top of the plant the leaves become narrower. The flowers, which appear from May to July, are greenish yellow and numerous, and are borne in rather open clusters. American hellebore belongs to the bunchflower family (Melanthiaceæ) and is a perennial.

This species is a very near relative of the European white hellebore (Veratrum album L.), and in fact has by some been regarded as identical with it, or at least as a variety of it. It is taller than V. album and has narrower leaves and greener flowers. Both species are official in the United States Pharmacopœia.

Description of rootstock.—The fresh rootstock of American hellebore is ovoid or obconical, upright, thick, and fleshy, the upper part of it arranged in layers, the lower part of it more solid, and producing numerous whitish roots from all sides. In the fresh state it has a rather strong, disagreeable odor. As found in commerce, American hellebore rootstock is sometimes entire, but more generally sliced, and is of a light-brown or dark-brown color externally and internally yellowish white; the roots, which are from 4 to 8 inches long, have a shriveled appearance, and are brown or yellowish. There is no odor to the dried rootstock, but when powdered it causes violent sneezing. The rootstock, which has a bitter and very acrid taste, is poisonous.

Collection, prices, and uses.—American hellebore should be dug in autumn after the leaves have died, and washed and carefully dried, either in the whole state or sliced in various ways. It deteriorates with age, and should therefore not be kept longer than a year.

The adulterations sometimes met with are the rootstocks of related plants, and the skunk-cabbage is also occasionally found mixed with it, but this is probably unintentional, as the two plants usually grow close together.

Collectors of American hellebore root receive from about 3 to 10 cents a pound.

American hellebore, official in the United States Pharmacopœia, is an acrid, narcotic poison, and has emetic, diaphoretic, and sedative properties.

ALETRIS.

Aletris farinosa L.

Other common names.—Stargrass, blazingstar, mealy starwort, starwort, unicorn-root, true unicorn-root, unicorn-plant, unicorn’s-horn, colicroot, devil’s-bit, ague-grass, agueroot, aloe-root, crow-corn, huskwort.

A glance at these common names will show many that have been applied to other plants, especially to Chamaelirium, with which Aletris is so much confused. In order to guard against this confusion as much as possible, it is best not to use the common names of this plant at all, referring to it only by its generic name, Aletris.

Habitat and range.—Aletris occurs in dry, generally sandy soil, from Maine to Minnesota, Florida, and Tennessee.

Description of plant.—As stated under Chamaelirium, this plant is often confused with the former by collectors and others, although there seems to be no good reason why this should be so. The plants do not resemble each other except in habit of growth (see Pl. II, figs. 1 and 2), and the trouble undoubtedly arose from a confusion of the somewhat similar common names of the plants, as, for instance, “stargrass” and “starwort.”

Aletris may be at once distinguished by the grasslike leaves, which spread out on the ground in the form of a star, and by the slender spikes of rough, mealy flowers.

This native perennial, belonging to the lily family (Liliaceæ), is an erect, slender herb, 1½ to 3 feet tall, with basal leaves only. These leaves are grasslike, from 2 to 6 inches long, and have a yellowish green or willowgreen color. As already stated, they surround the base of the stem in the form of a star. Instead of stem leaves, there are very small, leaflike bracts placed at some distance apart on the stem. From May to July the erect flowering spike, from 4 to 12 inches long, is produced, bearing white, urn-shaped flowers, sometimes tinged with yellow at the apex, and having a rough, wrinkled and mealy appearance. (Pl. II, fig. 2.) The seed capsule is ovoid, opening by three valves, and containing many seeds. When the flowers in the spike are still in bud, there is a suggestion of resemblance to the female spike of Chamaelirium with its fruit half formed.

Several other species are recognized by botanists, namely, Aletris aurea Walt., A. lutea Small, and A. obovata Nash, but aside from the flowers, which in aurea and lutea are yellow, and slight variations in form, such as a more contracted perianth, the differences are not so pronounced that the plants would require a detailed description here. They have undoubtedly been collected with Aletris farinosa for years, and are sufficiently like it to be readily recognized.