No, 16. 9OTZIOPHZS. 87 



HISTORY — Notwithstanding my reluctance to in- 

 novate In this work, I am compelled to separate this 

 plant from the Genera Actea and Cimicifjigay to 

 which it has been by turns united. I did so ever 

 since ISOS, catlling it Macrotrys, which meant ion^ 

 raceme^ vvh*ch name Decandolle has adopted as a 

 subgenus oi Actea ; but this name being delusive, too 

 harsh, and an abbreviation of Macroboirys, I have 

 framed a better one, meaning Snake raceme : the ra- 

 ceme or long spike of flowers being mostly crooked, 

 and like a snake. To convince any one of the neces- 

 sity of this change and impossibility of leaving this 

 plant with Actea or Cimici/uga, I have given the 

 characters of the three genera in opposition to each 

 other, whereby the striking difference in the corolla> 

 pistils and fruit, will be perceived at once. 



Actea and Botrophis belong to a peculiar natural 

 family, the Acteides, having single pistils and fruits: 

 while Cimicifuga belongs to Rakvnculides with 

 several pistils. Botrophis must be put with Actea in 

 PoLYANDRiA monogynia, while Cimicifuga belongs 

 to PoLYANDRiA pcntagynia or poly gynia. 



\m 



Botronhis. The 



and was 



used by all the Indians. It blossoms in June and 

 July. The whole plant, and even the flowers arr 



medical. 



Locality— All over the United States, from 



Maine to Florida, Louisiana and Missouri, also in 

 Canada and Texas ; very common in open woods, rich 

 o-rounds and sides of bill« ; less common ia rocky 



