18 AMERICAN ROOT DRUGS. 



have broken oft", giving it the appearance of having become " wormy." It 

 is hard and horny within and has a peculiar odor and a very bitter, disagreeable 

 taste, whereas Aletris is not at all bitter. 



Collection, prices, and uses. — Chamaelirium should "be collected in autumn. 

 The prices paid to collectors may be said to range from about 30 to 45 cents a 

 pound. In the fall of 1906 a scarcity of this root was reported. As already 

 indicated, Chamaelirium and Aletris are often gathered and mistaken for each 

 other by collectors, but, as will I)e seen from the preceding description, there is 

 really no excuse for such error. 



From the confusion that has existed properties peculiar to the one plant have 

 also been attributed to the other, but it seems now generally agreed that 

 Chamaelirium is of use especially as a tonic in derangements of women. 



AMERICAN HELLEBORE. 

 Veratrum viride Ait. 



Pharmacopceial name. — Veratrum. 



Other common names. — True veratrum, green veratrum, American veratrum, 

 green hellebore, swamp-hellebore, big helleliore. false hellebore, bear-corn, 

 bugbane, bugwort, devil's-bite, earth-gall, Indian poke, itchweed, tickleweed, 

 duckretter. 



Habitat and ransre.— American hellebore is native in rich wet woods, swamps, 

 and wet meadows, its range extending from Canada, Alaska, and Minnesota 

 south to Georgia. 



Description of plant. — Early in spring, usually in company with the skunk- 

 cabbage, the large, bright-green leaves of American hellebore make their 

 way through the soil, their straight, erect leaf spears forming a cor^spicuous 

 feature of the yet scanty spring vegetation. Later in the season a stout and 

 erect leafy stem is sent up, sometimes gro\A ing as tall as 6 feet. It is solid and 

 round, pale green, very leafy, and closely surrounded by the sheathing bases of 

 the leaves, unbr'anched except in the flowering head. The leaves are hairy, 

 prominently nerved, folded or pleated like a fan. They have' no stems, but 

 their bases encircle or sheathe the main stalk, and are very large, especially the 

 lower ones, which are from 6 to 12 inches in length, from 3 to 6 inches in width, 

 and broadly oval. As they approach the top of the plant the leaves become 

 narrower. The flowers, which appear from May to July, are greenish yellow 

 and numerous, and are borne in rather open clusters. American hellebore be- 

 longs to the bunchflower family (Melanthiacea>) and is a perennial. 



This species is a very near relative of the European white hellebore {Vera- 

 trum album L.), and in fact has by some been regarded as identical with it, or 

 at least as a variety of it. It is taller than V. album and has narrovA'er leaves 

 and greener flowers. Both species are official in the United States Pharmaco- 

 poeia. 



Description of rootstock. — ^The fresh rootstock of American hellebore is ovoid 

 or obconical, upright, thick, and fleshy, the upper part of it arranged in layers, 

 the lower part of it more solid, and producing numerous whitish roots from all 

 sides.' In the fresh state it has a rather strong, disagreeable odor. As found 

 in commerce. American hellebore rootstock is sometimes entire, but more gen- 

 erally sliced, and is of a light-brown or dark-brown color externally and inter- 

 nally yellowish white ; the roots, which are from 4 to 8 inches long, have a 

 shriveled appearance, and are brown or yellowish. There is no odor to the 



i07 



