PLANTS FTHXlSinxn ROOT DRUOS. 23 



All of the spec«ies beloufjinj? to this ficnus .ire iiioiv or less variegated in color; 

 hence the name " iris," meaning " raini)o\v." and the specific name "versicolor,'' 

 meaning "various colors." The name " i)oison-t1ag " has been applied t<i it on 

 aecoimt of the poisonous effect it has produced in children, who. owing to (he 

 close resemblance^ of the plants before reaching the tlowering stagi'. sometimes 

 mistake it for sweet-flag. 



The seed capsule is oblong, about lA inches long, and contains numerous 

 seeds. 



Description of rootatock. — Blue flag has a thick, fleshy, horizontal rootstock, 

 l)ranche<l. and producing long Hbrous roots. ( I'l. 11. flg. 4.) It resembles 

 sweet-flag (Calamus), and has been mistaken for 11. The sections of the root- 

 stock of blue flag, however, are flattened above and rounded below ; the sc.irs 

 of the leaf sheaths are in the form of rings, whereas in sweet-flag the root- 

 stock is c.vlindrical and the scars left by the leaf sheaths are obliepiely trans- 

 verse. Fm'thermore, there is a difference in tlie arrangement of the roots on 

 the rootstock. the sears left by the roots in blue flag being close together gen- 

 erally nearer the larger end, while in sweet-flag the disposition of the roots 

 along the rootstock is (piite regular. Hlue flag is grayish l)rown on the outsido 

 when dried, and sweet-flag is light brown or fawn colored. Blue flag has no 

 well-marked odor, and the taste is acrid and nauseous, and in sweet-flag there 

 is a pleasant odor and bitter, pungent taste. 



Collection, prices, and uses. — Blue flag is collected in autumn, and usually 

 brings from about 7 to 10 cents ji pt)und. Great scarcity of blue flag root was 

 reported from the producing districts in the autumn of 1!Mm;. It is an old 

 remedy, the Indians esteeming it highly in stomach troubles, and it is said that 

 it was sometimes cidtivated Ity them in near-l»y i)onds on account of its medic- 

 inal value. It has also been used as a domestic remedy, and is regarded as 

 an alterative, diuretic, and purgative. It was othcial in the I'nited States 

 Pharmacopa'ia of 1890. 



lady's-slipper. 



(1) Ciiliripediinii liirsKtinn Mill, and ( i: ) ('i/priiicdiiini pdirifiornm Salisb. 



Sinioniini. — (1) Viipripedium puhesccns Willd. 



Phurniacopaial name. — Cypripedium. 



Other common names. — (1) Large yellow lady's-slipper, yellow lady's-slipper, 

 yellow moccasin-flower, Yenus'-shoe, Venus'-cup, yellow Indian-shoe, American 

 valerian, nerve-root, male nervine, yellow Noah's-ark, yellows, monkey-flower, 

 umbil-root, yellow umbil : (2) small yellow lady's-slipper. 



Habitat and range. — Both of these native species frequent bogs aM w'et 

 places in deep shady woods and thickets. The large yellow lady's-slipper may 

 be found from Nova Scotia south to Alabama and west to Nebraska and Mis- 

 souri. The range for the small yellow lady's-slipper extends from Newfound- 

 land south along the mountains to Georgia, and west to Missouri, Washington, 

 and British Columbia. 



Description of plants. — The orchid family (Orchidace;p) , to which the lady's- 

 slippers belong, boasts of many beautiful, showy, and curious species, and the 

 lady^s-slipper is no exception. There are several other plants to which the 

 name lady's-slipper has been applied, but one glance at the peculiar structure of 

 the flowers in the species under consideration, as shown in the illustration 

 (PI. Ill, flg. 1), will enable anyone to recognize them as soon as seen. 



The particular species of lady's-slipper under consideration in this article do 

 not differ very materially from each other. Both are perennials, growing from 

 107 



