PLANTS FURNISHING ROOT DRUGS. 



39 



doses are said to be ciiietic and smaller doses toiiie and expectorant. The price 

 paid for twinleaf root ranj^es from aliout 5 to 7 cents a pound. 



MAY-APPLE. 



PodophyUum pcltatum L. 



Phannacnporial name. — Podopbylliim. 



Otlirr ciitiniioii ntiiurx. — Mandrake, wild mandrake. American mandrake, 

 wild lemon, trround-leuion. liofi-apple. devil's-apple. Indian aiM'Ie. raccoon-berry, 

 diick's-foot, mnbrella-plant. vegetable calomel. 



Habitat ami lainjc. — The May-apple is an indigeuons plant, found in low 

 woods, usually grow- 

 ing in patches, from 

 western Q u e b e c to 

 Minnesota, south to 

 Florida and Texas. 



D e s c r i p t i o n of 

 plant. — A pate h of 

 May-apple can be dis- 

 tinguished from afar, 

 the smooth, dark-green 

 foliage and close and 

 even stand making it 

 a conspicuous feature 

 of the woodland vege- 

 tation. 



May-apple is a per- 

 ennial plant, and be- 

 longs to the barberry 

 family (Berberida- 

 cea:"). It is erect, and 

 grows about 1 foot in 

 height. The leaves are 

 only two in number, 

 circular in outline, but 

 with live to seven deep 

 lobes, the lobes 2 cleft, 

 and toothed at the 

 apex : they are dark 



green above, the lower surface lighter green and somewhat hairy or smooth, some- 

 times 1 foot in diameter, and borne on long leafstalks ^^'hich are fixed to the cen- 

 ter of the leaf, giving it an umbrella-like appearance. The waxy-white, solitary 

 flower, sometimes 2 inches in diameter, appears in May, nodding on its short stout 

 stalk, generally right between the two large umbrella-like leaves, which shade 

 it and hide it from view. (Fig. 14.) The fruit which follows is lemon shaped, 

 at first green, then yellow, about 2 inches in length, and edible, although 

 when eaten immoderately it is known to have produced bad effects. 



In a patch of May-apple plants there are always a number of sterile or 

 flowerless stalks, which bear leaves similar to those of the flowering plants. 



Description of root stock. —The horizontally creeping rootstock of May-apple 

 (fig. 14). when taken from the ground, is from 1 to 6 feet or more in length, 

 flexible, smooth, and round, dark brown on the outside and whitish and 

 107 



Fig. 14.— May-apple {Podophyllum peltatum), upper portion of plant 

 with flower, and rootstock. 



