WILD SARSAPARILLA 



WILD SARSAPARILLA 



Ardlla nudlcaulis 



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Perennial. Rich, shady, moist woods. Newfoundland 

 to Georgia, west to Colorado and Idaho. Common in 

 northern Ohio. May-June. Entire plant aromatic. 



Root. — Long, horizontal, aromatic. 



Stem. — One short stem to a plant; this bears one leaf- 

 stem and one flower-stem. The flower-stem bears from 

 three to five, usually three, umbels of greenish white 

 flowers; the leaf-stem one large compound leaf. 



Leaf. — Long-stalked, compounded of three divisions, 

 each of which has five leaflets, oblong-oval or ovate, 

 serrate, pointed. 



Flowers. — Small, greenish white, borne in three to five 

 umbels at the top of the flower-stem, more or less polyga- 

 mous. Umbels two or more inches across. 



Calyx. — Tube, coherent with the ovary. 



Petals. — Five, oblong, strongly reflexed. 



Stamens. — Five, alternate with the petals, conspicuous. 



Pistil. — Ovary two to five-celled; styles two to five. 



Fruit. — Shining, dark-purple berries in clusters. 



Pollinated by flies and bees. 



Common in woods and thickets, itself always under 

 shade, it shelters its three spreading umbels of greenish 

 w^hite flowers under the cover of a large, solitary, com- 

 pound leaf. Its long horizontal roots are very grate- 

 ful to many burrowing creatures, for they are not only 

 near the surface, but appetizing as well. One of its 

 country names is Rabbitroot. 



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