PLANTS FURNISHING ROOT DRUGS. 



27 



of growth of tlioso iilnnts. Al)scess-root i I'iihinnnuim rciiluits L.) is another 

 root with whic-li st'rpeiitariii is often adulterated. It is very simihir to ser- 

 pentarla. except that it is nearly white. The price of serpeutaria ranges from 

 35 to 40 cents a pound. 



Serpeutaria is us(mI tor its stiniulanl. t.niic. and diaphon'tir jiroperties. Both 

 species are oUicial in the United States I'harmacupa'ia. 



YELLOW DOCK. 



Rtitiicx rrispiiy L. 



Other common uamrst. — Runiex, curled dock, narrow doi k, sour dock. (Fig. .5.) 

 Habitat and ranijc. — Tliis ti-otihlesonu' wet-d, introduced l"!-oni Kurojie. is now 



touud throughout the I'nited States, occurring in cultivated as well as in waste 



ground, among rul)bish heajjs. and along roadsides. 



Fig. 5. — Yellow dock (Rumex crinnus), first year's growth. 



Description of plant. — Yellow dock is a perennial plant belonging to the 

 buckwheat family (Polygonacetp), and has a deep, spindle-shaped root, from 

 which arises an erect, angular, and furrowed stem, attaining a height of from 2 

 to 4 feet. The stem is branched near the top and leafy, bearing numerous long 

 dense clusters formed by drooping groups of inconspicuous green flowers placed 

 in circles around the stem. The tiowers are produced from June to August, and 

 the fruits which follow are in the form of small triangular nuts, like the grain 

 of buckwheat, to which family the dock belongs. So long as the fruits are 

 green and immature they can scarcely be distinguished from the flowers, but 

 as they ripen the clusters take on a rusty-brown color. The leaves of the yellow 

 dock are lance shaped, acute, with the margins strongly waved and crisped, the 

 lower long-stalked leaves being blunt or heart shaped at the base and from 6 to 

 8 inches in length, while those nearer the top are narrower and shorter, only 3 

 to 6 inches in length, short stemmed or stemless. 



The l)road-leaved dock {Rumex ohtiisifoliiis L.), known also as bitter dock, 

 common dock, blunt-leaved dock, and butter-dock, is a very common weed found 

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