Class XIII. Order VI. 221 



226. COPTIS. 



COPTIS TRIFOLIA. Goldthread. 



Bigclow, Medical Botany, PI. v. 



Leaves ternate ; scape one flowered. 



Syn. HELLEBORUS TRIFOLIUS. L. 



The roots of this plant, from which the name of Goldthread is 

 taken, are perennial and creeping 1 . On removing the moss and 

 decayed leaves from the surface of the ground, they discover 

 themselves of a bright yellow colour, running in every direction. 

 The bases of the new stems are invested with a number of yel- 

 lowish, ovate, acuminate stipules. Leaves ternate, on long slen- 

 der petioles ; leafets roundish, acute at base, lobed and crenate, 

 the crenatures acuminate ; smooth, firm, veiny. Scape slender, 

 round, bearing one small, starry, white flower, and a minute, 

 ovate, acute bracte at some distance below. Calyx none. Pe- 

 tals five, six, or seven, oblong, concave, white. Nectaries five 

 or six, inversely conical, hollow, yellow at the mouth. Stamens 

 numerous, white, with capillary filaments and roundish anthers. 

 Germs from five to seven, stipitate, oblong", compressed ; styles 

 recurved. Capsules pedicelled, umbelled, oblong-, compressed, 

 beaked, with numerous black, oval seeds attached to the inner 

 side. Woods, Brookline. Perennial. The root is a strong bit- 

 ter, used in medicine. 



227. CALTHA. 



CALTHA PALUSTRIS. L. Marsh Marigold. Meadow Cowslip. 

 Stem erect ; leaves round, heart shaped. Forster. 



Brought to market in the spring under the name of Cowslips. 

 At that season its' bright yellow blossoms are very common and 

 conspicuous in meadows and wet situations. Stem upright, fur- 

 rowed. Leaves smooth, heart or kidney shaped, crenate, the 

 radical ones on petioles, those of the stem nearly sessile. Flow- 

 ers on axillary stalks, with large, roundish, glossy petals of a 

 bright yellow, as are the stamens. The young buds are some- 

 times substituted for capers. Perennial. 



