PLANTS FURNISHING ROOT DRUGS. 29 



wise are wavy along the margin, are niucli broader and longer. 'I'lie green 

 flowers api)ear from June to August and are in rather long, open elusters, the 

 groups rather loo.se and far apart. (Fig. (j. ) 



Description of roots. — Yellow doek root is large and rleshy. usually from 8 

 to 12 inches long, tapering or spindle shaped, with few or no rootlets. When 

 dry it is usually twisted and ]ironnnently wrinkled, the rather thick, dark. 

 reddish brown bark marked with small sears. The inside of the root is whitish 

 at tirst, becoming yellowish. The fracture is short, but shows some splintery 

 fibers. The root, as it occurs in commerce, is either entire or occasionally split 

 lengthwise. 



The darker colored root of the broad-leaved dock has a number of smaller 

 branches near the crown and more rootlets. (Fig. G.) Deck roots have but a 

 very faint odor and a bitter, astringent taste. 



Collection, prices, and uses. — The roots should be collected in late summer or 

 autumn, after the fruiting tops have turned brown, then washed, either left 

 entire or split lengthwise into halves or quarters, and carefully dried.- Yellow 

 dock root ranges from 4 to G cents a pound. 



In the United States Pharmacopoeia of 1890 " the roots of Ruinex crispus and 

 of some other species of Humex " were official, and both of the above-named 

 species are used, but the yellow dock (Rumcx crispus) is the si»ecies most con- 

 monly employed in medicine. The docks are largely used for purifying the 

 blood and in the treatment of skin diseases. 



The young root leaves of both of the species mentioned are sometimes used 

 in spring as pot herbs. 



POKEWEED. 



Phytolacca decandra L." 



Synonym. — Phytolacca antericana L.a 



Phannacopceial name. — Phytolacca. 



Other common names. — Poke, pigeon-berry, garget, scoke. pocan, coakum, 

 Virginian poke, inkberry. red inkberry, American nightshade, cancer-jalap, 

 redweed. 



Habitat and range. — Pokeweed, a common, familiar, native weed, is found in 

 rich, moist soil along fence rows, fields, and uncultivated laud from the New 

 England States to Minnesota south to Florida and Texas. 



Description of plant. — In Europe, where pokeweed has become naturalized 

 from this country, it is regarded as an ornamental garden plant, and, indeed, 

 it is very showy and attractive with its reddish purple stems, rich green foliage, 

 and clusters of white flowers and dark-i)urple berries. 



The stout, smooth stems, arising from a very large perennial root, attain a 

 height of from 3 to 9 feet, and are erect and branched, green at first, then red- 

 dish. If a piece of the stem is examined, the pith will be seen to be divided 

 into disk-shaped parts with hollow spaces between them. The smooth leaves are 

 borne on short stems and are about 5 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide, ovate 

 or ovate oblong, acute at the apex, and the margins entire. The long-stalked 

 clusters of whitish flowers, which appear from July to September, are from 3 to 

 4 inches in length, the flowers numerous and borne on reddish stems. In about 

 two months the berries will have matured and assumed a rich dark-purple coloi-. 



a Phytolacca antericana L. by right of priority should be accepted, but P. 

 decandra L. is used in conformity with the Pharmacopoeia. 



107 



