PLANTS FURNISHING ROOT DRUGS. 11 



The collector should always communicate with the dealers concern- 

 ing the drugs to be disposed of, sending them a lepresentative sample, 

 plaiidy nuirked as to contents, with the name and address of the 

 sender, and stating how large a (juantity can he fiu'nished. 



The prices per pound mentioned in this hnlletin will serve to give 

 the collector an idea as to what he may expect to receive from 

 dealers, hut, as with other connnodities, depending for their prices 

 upon siii)ply and demand, fluctuations are likely to occur from year to 

 year. An increased demand or a shortage will send prices upward 

 and stimulate collection, which in turn may result in glutting the 

 nuirket, and a decline in prices naturally follows. It is possible, 

 therefore, to give only an approximate range of })rices. 



PLANTS FURNISHING ROOT DRUGS. 



Under each plant will be found synonyms and pharmacopceial name, 

 if any, the common names, habitat, range, descriptions of the plant 

 and root, and information concerning collection, prices, and uses, 

 while in the case of goldenseal and ginseng the methods of culture 

 are included. 



MALE-FEKX. 



(1) Dryopicria filix-ma/i (L.) Schott and (2) nryopteris niarffinalift (L.) A. 



(Jraj-. 



.S'j/no/(//w<. — (1) Aspidium fili.r-iiuis Sw. (2) Aspidium marginale Sw. 



Pharmacopoeial name. — Aspidium. 



Other common names. — (1) Male shield-fern, sweet brake, knottj' brake, 

 basket-fern, bear's-paw root; (2) marginal-fruited shield-fern, evergreen wood- 

 fern. 



Habitat and range. — These ferns are found in rocky woods, the male shield- 

 fern inhabiting the region from Canada westward to the Rocky Mountains and 

 Arizona. It is widely distributed also through Europe, northern Asia, northern 

 Africa, and South America. The marginal-fruited shield-fern (PL I. fig. 1), 

 one of our most counnon ferns, occurs from Canada southward to Alabama and 

 Arkansas. 



Description of plants. — Both of these species are tall, handsome ferns, the 

 long, erect fronds, or leaves, arising from a chaffy, scaly base, and consisting of 

 numerous crowded stemless leaflets, which are variously divided and notched. 

 There is but little difference between these two species. The male shield- 

 fern is perhaps a trifle stouter, the leaves growing about .3 feet in length and 

 having a bright-green color, whereas the marginal-fruited shield-fern has lighter 

 green leaves, about 2i feet in length, and is of more slender appearance. The 

 principal difference, however, is found in the arrangement of the " sori," or 

 " fruit dots." These are the very small, round, tawny dots that are found on 

 the backs of fern leaves, and in the male shield-fern these will be found ar- 

 ranged in short rows near the midrib, while in the marginal-fruited shield-fern, 

 as this name indicates, the fruit dots are placed on the margins of the fronds. 

 Both plants are perennials and members of the fern family (Polypodiaceje). 

 107 



