40 AMERICAN ROOT DRUGS. 



Hesby within: at intervals of a few inches are thickened joints, on the upper 

 surface of wliich are round stem scars and on the lower side a tuft of rather 

 stout roots. Sometimes the r(»otstoclv bears hiteral branches. The dried 

 rootstock, as it occurs in the stores, is in irresruhir. somewhat cylindrical 

 pieces, smooth or somewhat wrinkled, yellowish brown or dark l>rown exter- 

 nally, whitisli to pale brown internally, breaking with a short, sharp fracture, 

 the surface of which is mealy. The odor is slight and the taste at first 

 sweetish, becoming very bitter and acrid. 



Collection. prk-c><. ami iii^rs. — The proper time for collecting the rootstock 

 IS in the latter half of September or in October. The price paid for May- 

 apple root ranges from ?. to cents a pound. 



May-apple root, which is recognized as official in the United States Phar- 

 macopdpia. is an active cathartic, and was known as such to the Indians. 



CANADA MOOXSEED. 

 Menisperniuiii caiwdense L. 



Other' common names. — Menispermum, yellow parilla, Texas sarsaparilla. yel- 

 low sarsaparilla. vine-maple. (PI. IV, fig. '•).) 



Habitat and range. — Canada moonseed is usually found along streams in 

 woods, climbing over bushes, its range extending from Canada to Georgia and 

 Arkansas. 



Description of iilant. — This native perennial woody climber reaches a "length 

 of from 6 to 12 feet, the round, rather slender stem bearing very broad, slender- 

 stalked leaves. These leaves are from 4 to 8 inches wide, smooth and green on 

 the upper surface and paler beneath, roundish in outline and entire, or some- 

 times lobed and resembling the leaves of some of our maples, whence the com- 

 mon name "vine-maple" is probably derived. The bases of the leaves are 

 generally heart shaped and the apex pointed or blunt. In July the loose clusters 

 of small yellowish or greenish white flowers are produced, followed in September 

 by bunches of black one-seeded fruit, covered with a " bloom " and very much 

 resembling grapes. Canada moonseed belongs to the moonseed family (Meni- 

 spermaceje). 



Description of roots}ocl: — The rootstock and roots are employed in medicine. 

 In the stores it will be found in long, straight pieces, sometimes 3 feet in length, 

 only about one-fourth of an inch in thickness, yellowish brown or grayish l)rown, 

 finely wrinkled lengthwise, and giving off fine, hairlike, branched, brownish 

 roots fi-om joints which occur every inch or so. The inside shows a distinct 

 white pith of variable thickness and a yellowish white wood with broad, porous 

 wood rays, the whole breaking with a tough, woody fracture. It has practically 

 no odor, but a bitter taste. 



Collection, prices, and uses. — Canada moonseed is collected in autumn, and 

 brings from 4 to 8 cents a pound. It is used as a tonic, alterative, and diuretic, 

 and was official in the United States Pharmacopoeia for 1890. 



BLOODROOT. 



• Sangninaria canadensis L. 



Pharmacopceial name. — Sanguinaria. 



Other common names. — Kedroot. red puceoon. red Indian-paint, puccoon-root. 

 coonroot, white puceoon. pauson. snakebite, sweet-slumber, tetterwort. tur- 

 meric. 



Habitat and range. — P>loodroot is found in rich, open woods from Canada 

 south to Florida and west to Arkansas and Nebraska. 

 107 



