PLANTS FURNISHING ROOT DKUGW. 



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are coiupresseil. and rojisist of two rows of si)ik«'lets ou a wavy ami llaLU'iicd 

 axis. These beads are i)rodiiced from July to September. Couch-grass belongs 

 to the grass family (Poacea?). 



Description of rootaioclx. — The pale-yellow, smooth rootstock is long, tough, 

 and jointed, creeping along underneath the ground and pushing in every direc- 

 tion. As found in the stores, it consists of short, angular pieces, from oue- 

 eightb to one-fourth of an inch long, of a shining straw color, and hollow. These 

 pieces are odorless, hut have a somewhat sweetisli taste. 



Collection, prices, and uses. — Couch-grass, which is official in the United States 

 PharmacopiPia. should be collected 

 in spring, carefully cleaned, and the 

 rootlets removed. The rootstock ( not 

 the rootlets) is then cut into short 

 pieces, about two-fifths of an inch 

 in length, for which puri)ose an 

 ordinary feed-cutting'»^niachine may 

 be used, and thoroughly dried. 



Couch-grass is usually destroyed 

 by plowing up and burning, for if 

 any of the joints are permitted to 

 remain in the soil new plants will 

 be produced. But, instead of burn- 

 ing, the rootstocks may be saved 

 and prepared for the drug market 

 in the manner above stated. The 

 prices range from 3 to 5 cents a 

 pound. At present couch-grass is 

 collected chiefly in Europe. 



A fluid extract is prepared from 

 couch-grass, which is used in affec- 

 tions of the kidney and bladder. 



WILD TTKNIP. 

 Arisaema triphyllum (I^. ) Torr. 



>S!/noitiJiii. — Arum tripliijlliini L. 



Other cwnmon names. — Arum, 

 three-leaved arum. Indian turnip, 

 jack-in-the-pulpit. wnke-roI)in. wild 

 I)epper, dragon-turnip, brown dragon. 



Fir;. 1. 



-Couch-grass {Ayropyrou reiitiiits). 



devil's-ear, marsh-turnip, swamp-turnip, meadow-turnip, pepper-turnip, starch- 

 wort, bog-onion, priest's-pintle, lords-and-ladies. 



Habitat and range. — Wild turnip inhabits moist woods from Canada to 

 Florida and westward to Kansas and Minnesota. 



Description of plant. — Early in April the quaint green and brownish purple 

 hooded flowers of the wild turnip may be seen in the shady depths of the 

 woods. 



It is a perennial plant belonging to the arum family (Araceae), and reaches 

 a height of from 10 inches to 3 feet. The leaves, of which there are only one or 

 two, unfold with the flowers ; they are borne on long, erect, sheathing statks, 

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