GOLDENSEAL (Orange Root. Yellow Puccoon) 



Hydrastis canadensis L. 



April Long ago in the days of the French explorers, La Salle built 



Woods a. fort above the Illinois River near the Peoria Indian village, 

 and named it Fort Creve Coeur because of the heartl)reak he 

 found there. And there in the virgin forest of the Illinois country, up 

 tlicre wIkm'c the liill sheered abruptly away to descend to the river and 

 where the fort looked far across tlic Illinois wilderness, the plants called 

 golden seal blossomed in April. 



Goldenseal long ago was used as a tonic; the yellow roots were 

 medicinal and win-e known in the earliest days of the pioneers as a medi- 

 cine to dig in spring. Perhaps LaSalle's Frenchmen knew it; or perha])S 

 they knew nothing of it. The goldenseal Ijlossomed and spread its broad, 

 veiny leaves, and the years went by, one by one, in the forests of the Illini. 

 Fort Creve Coeur fell into ruin. LaSalle died in the far-away Texas 

 country. The Indians were pushed further and further away into the 

 west and Illinois became a state, became populated by people from the 

 south and the east. 'I'he forests were cut, but many woodlands remained, 

 and there each spring the goldenseal came u|) and hloomtMl and spread 

 its veiny leaves. ]t is there today. ]u the woods near the site of tlu' old 

 Fort Creve Coeur the photographei' came upon [he goldenseal. 



Goldenseal rises from a thick yellow rootstock and has a stoul haiiy 

 stem bearing two palmately lobed leaves near the summit. The sti^m 

 terminates in a single flower which has jio petals but is a simple whorl 

 of white stamens which last but a short time. 'I'he fruit is like a deej) red 

 raspberry, (ioldenseal formerly was found throughout the state, but has 

 been almost exterminated by drug-plant collectors. 



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