PLANTS FURNISHING ROOT DRUOS. 87 



Other siircirs. — Wliik' lirrhcris ' (iiiuifoliuin is ut'iicrjilly tlcsiirnalcd ;is tlu' 

 source of Oregon Krape root, other spcfies of Berberis aro met with in the 

 market luuler the name grape root, ami their use is sanctioned by the United 

 States Pharuiaeopoeia. 



The speeies most (•(»mmouly collected with licrhrrls 'Kiiiifoliinn is /{. ncrrofta 

 Uursh, .which is also lonnd in woods from California northward to Orej^on and 

 Washin.i,'ton. 'I'liis is il to IC inches in heij.'ht. with a c(.;ispicnonsly jointed 

 stem an 1 11 1o IT hii.:;ht-j;reen leaflets. 



Another species of lierheris. li. p'nnwiu Uai;.. attains a heiiiht of from a few 

 niches to ."» feet, with from ."> to II. hut sometimes more, leatiets. which are shininj,' 

 .•d)ove and paler beneath. This resembles (iiiiiifoliKiii very closely and is often 

 mistaken for it. but it is said that it has not been used by the medical profes- 

 sion, unless in local jiractice." The root also is about th<> same si/e as that of 

 otfiiifoliinii, while the root of iicrvofia is smaller. 



Some works speak of Brrherift rcpenfi Lindl. as another species often collected 

 with (t(/i)if()Hi(in. l)Ut in tlu' latest botjinical manuals no such species is recog:- 

 nized, />. iciicii.s being given simply as a synonym for li. (KiiiifoHiiiii. 



nrxrriplioii of root stock. — The rootstock and ri»ots of Oregon grape are more 

 or less knotty, in irregular pieces of varying lengths, and about an inch or less 

 in diameter, with bi-ownish bark and hard and tough yellow wood, showing a 

 small pith and narrow rays. Oregon grape root has a very bitttM- taste and 

 very slight odor. 



Collection, prii-cs. aiiil iiscfi. — Oi'egon grape root is collected in .autumn and 

 brings from 10 to 12 cents a pound. The bark should not be removed from the 

 rootstocks. as the IMiarmac(tp(eia directs that such roots be rejected. 



This root h:is long been used in domestic practice throughout the West as a 

 tonic and blood imritier. and is now official in the United States I'harmacoprpia. 



The berries ai-e used in making i)resei*ves .-iiid cooling drinks. 



BT.UE f GHOSH. 



(UniloitlnjUniii Itiutlctro'idcs (L.) Michx. 



Other common namcf;. — Caulophyllum, i)aiipoose-root, squawroot. blueberry- 

 root, blue ginseng, yellow ginseng. (PI. IV, fig. 2.) 



Habitat and range. — Blue cohosh is found in the deep rich loam of shady 

 woods from New Brunswick to South Carolina, westward to Nebraska, being 

 abundant especially throughout the Allegheny Mountain region. 



Description of plant.— Thin member of the barberry family (Berberidacea^) is 

 a perennial lierli, 1 to :'> feet in height, and indigenous to this country. It bears 

 at the top one large, almost stendess leaf, which is triternately compound — 

 that is. the main leaf stem divides into three stems, which again divide into 

 threes, and each division bears three leaflets. Sometimes there is a smaller 

 leaf, lint similar to the other, at the base of the flowering brancli. 'IMie leaflets 

 are thin in texture, oval, oldong. or obovate, and 3 to ^^ lobed. 



In the early stage of its growth this plant is covered with a sort of bluish 

 green bloom, but it gradually loses this and becomes smooth. The flowers arc 

 l)orne in a small terminal panicle or head, and are small and greenish yellow. 

 They appear from April to May, while the leaf is still small. The globular 

 seeds, which ripen .about August, are borne on stout stalks in membranous 

 capsules and resemble dark-blue berries. 



"King's American Dispensatory. Vol. I, 1898, from Berberidacere, by C. (J. 

 and .1. U. Lloyd. 1878. 

 107 



