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MAYAPPLE (Mandrake) 

 Podophyllum peltatum L. 



April - May 

 Oak woods. 

 Cut-over pastures 



before it ))]()oins. W 

 hlossoininu" nhmt is 



W'lhii thr coiiiral wliitf shoot starts forth from the 

 loiiu' root III' the niiiyaj)|)le and in April emerges with 

 thill white skin, the mayaijple is on its way through 

 the liist of a luiniher ol' ciianges in appearance 

 hell the sheath .-|)lits. tlie jihiiit pushes Upward. A 

 kiKiwii (■\i'ii now hv the small ijreeni.^h-white hud 

 which is perched at the top ol the stem, with the two hron/.y leaves neatly 

 roHe*! and wrapped helow it. ^'ouiiger plants which will not hloom have 

 only one leal. In a lew diiys of mild iiioi>t weather, the leaves begin to 

 unlurl, .so that the young mayapple j)lants stand l)road-s])read in the sun. 

 The firm white stem rapidly grows upward to its a])point(Ml height of 

 about a foot. .Maya|)ples do not grow singly. They are c«iloiiial and ol'teii 

 covei" hidad areas in the woods. 



There in the plea.sant May morning tlie iiiayapi)li' llower opens a 

 broad, white, cupped, waxen blossom which has a superficial (piality of 

 the dove on-hid llower. though it ai-tually is not at. all like it. There are 

 curving thick petals around the cluster of golden stamens and the stout 

 green, barrel-shaped pistil. 



For a week or so the mayapple cohmies are all in bloom. Then 

 as May advances, the petals fall and the ripeiu'd pistil e.\])ands greenly 

 and unobtrusively all >ummer long. The nuiyapple leaves grow leathery 

 and .sometimes ragged; they turn yellow and brown and most of them 

 disappear by late summer. l>y then the fruit has grown to the shape and 

 size of a small lemon and is pale yellow, full of silvery, edible jjulj). The 

 roots, stems, and leaves, however are said to be poisonous. 



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