PLANTS FUKNISHTNG ROOT DRUGS. 



59 



CoUectiotK prices, ami uses.— Btoneroot, which is coUec-ted in autuinn, is em- 

 ployed for its tonic, astringent, diuretic, and diaphoretic effects. Tlie price of 

 tlie root ranf^es from 2 to 3* cents a pound. 



The leaves are used by country people as an application to bruises. 



culver"s-r<m)T. 



\'(r()iiira rirfiiiiico I.." 



,S';/»o».(/»'- — Lrptaiulra rirf/iiiica ( L. ) Nutt." 



I*hanu<tc(ip(iinl iniiiiv. — Leptandra. 



Othrr vi,mm<n, »(/(»(-.«*.— Culver's-physic Ma. km.,!, hnwinan's-root. P.eaumont- 



root. Brinton-root. tall 

 speedwell, tall veronica, 

 physic-i-oot. whorlywort. 

 lldhitdt and ratiuc. — 

 This connuon indige- 

 nous herb is f ou nd 

 abundantly in moist, 

 rich woods, mountain 

 valleys, meadows, and 

 thickets from I'.ritish 

 Columbia south to Ala- 

 bama. Missouri, a n d 

 Nebraska. 



Description of plant. — 

 Culver's-i'oot is a tall, 

 slender-stemmed peren- 

 nial belonging to the 

 tigwort family (Scroph- 

 nlariaceje). It is from 



;', to 7 feet in height, 



with the leaves ar- 

 ranged around the sim- 



I)le stems in whorls of 



three to nine. T h e 



leaves are borne on 



very short stems, are 



1 a nee s h a p e d , long 



pointed at the apex, 



narrowed at the base, 



and sharply toothed. :? 



to 6 inches in length, 



and 1 inch or less in 



width. The white tube- 

 shaped flowers, w i t Ii 



two long protruding sta- 

 mens, are produced from 



.Tune to September and 



are borne in several ter- 



Fii;. 28.— Culver's-root (^Veronica virgin ica] 



.stoek. 



flDWi-ring- tdji and root- 



minal, densely crowded, slender, spikelike heads from 3 to 9 inches long. ( Fig. 23. ) 



« Some authors hold that this plant belongs to the genus Leptandra and that 

 its name should be Leptandra rirf/inica (L.) Nutt. The Pharmacopoeia is here 

 followed. 



107 



