766 



PIOECIA HEXANDRIA 





V « 



w 



p. 244. 



S. Piibera, Mich. 2. p. 238. $p. pi. 4. p. 7^5. Pursb, 1. p. 250. N«5tt. 



2. p. 238. ■ • ' 



5<cw2 prostrate, rarely exceeding 3 or 4 feet long, pubescent, sparingly 

 branched, unarmed. Leaves perennial, alternate, cordate ovate, obtuse, 

 mucronate, scabrous on the upper surface, almost tomentose and hoary un- 

 derneath, 5-nerved the exterior obscure, on petioles 1 — 3 inches jong. Floio* 



'%.. €7's in small axillary umbels, the common peduncle 5 



ines lonjr, the 



partial 1 —2 lines. Calyx of both florets 6-leaved, 3 exterior, oblong, green- 

 ish yellow. Corolla 0. Stamens shorter than the corolla, rugose, between 



the 



de 



Slyl 



mens. Kjerm superior. 



Grows in rich shaded soils. 



Berry 



Flowers September — October. Matures Us fruit in March. 



\ 



10, PSEUDO C 



L 



inerniis: 



fol 



bus, caulinis cor- 

 ;, rameis ova(Q-ob- 

 is, 5-nervibus 



Unarmed; leaves iin- 



d 



tliose 



of the 



- . . . ? 



dunculis longissimis. 



stem 



cordate, of the 

 branches ovate oblong, 



5 



? 



lerved 

 y long 



pe 



duncles 



»f 



Sp. pi. 4. p. 785. Pursh, 2. p. 250. Nutt. 2. p. 238. 

 S. Sarsaparilla, Walt- p. 245. 



L ■ 



Roofs tliberous, creeping, nodose. Stem climbing over small shrubs. 

 Leaves as in most of the genus semipeiennial, many of them adhering to ine 

 stem daring the winter. The lower leaves distinctly cordate, nerved, the 

 youn^ ones ovate. Berries black? . , . 



Most of the species of this genus have large tuberous ' roots, but m this 

 they are very conspicuous. This species is, I believe, the one generally 

 preferred in medicine a^ an alterative, and forms the basis of many "diet- 

 drinks" among the "unlicensed faculty." From these roots, with Indian 

 corn, (maize) sassafras and molasses, the negroes manufacture a very pl^^.- 

 sant beer. 



Grows In almost all soils, frequently found in dry sandy situations 

 Flowers June — July? 



11. ROTUNDIFOLIA. 



m. 



S. caule aculeato, te- 1 Stem prickly, some- 



rettusculo; foliis subro- what terete; leaves 



*'mdo-ovatis, acumina- Ovate, nearly round? 



« 



t/^ 



