Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 315 



woodlands. A coarse rank plant. The large fruit, somewhat re- 

 sembling a grape is mostly composed of a bullet-like seed which ap- 

 pears to be composed of vegetable ivory. 



358. MAY APPLE; WILD MANDRAKE 



PODOPHYLLUM PELTATUM L. 



Fairly common in rather dry woodlands. Noted in flower in 

 Farrar's woods May 14, 1901 ; the umbrellas were up in fine shape 

 by April 19 and the buds had been showing for some time. Near 

 Bloomington, Indiana, a number of years ago, a clump of remark- 

 able plants of this species was found; nearly every flower was 

 monstrous, the carpel not closing, so that the seeds were borne on 

 the outside. Plants observed near Washington, D. C., had the um- 

 brella-shaped leaves richly colored with a regular pattern of purple, 

 and would be worthy of a place in a flower-garden. On August 

 12, 1906, one of the inhabitants of Culver was seen with a large 

 basket full of the ripe fruits fine large ones, some russetty on 

 one side, all an exquisitely rich yellow altogether an unusual sight. 

 It looked like the garden of the Hesperides had been burglarized. 

 The fruits are sometimes used to make a jelly. 



FAMILY 60. MENISPERMACE.E. MOONSEED FAMILY 



359. MOONSEED 



MENISPERMUM CANADENSE L. 



Not very common about the lake; some plants seen on Over- 

 myer's hill. The blackish berries, which have a peculiar disagree- 

 able, astringent taste, are eaten by birds. In some places this 

 plant is known as "Wild Sarsaparilla" (a name also applied to 

 Aralia nudicaulis) , and a decoction of the long yellow rootstock is 

 used in the preparation of home-made medicines. Old dead vines 

 separate along the medulary rays ,and the segments twist about 

 each other like the coils of a rope. 



FAMILY 61. LAURACE^E. LAUREL FAMILY 



360. SASSAFRAS 



SASSAFRAS SASSAFRAS (L.) Karst. 



Very common about the lake, especially southwest, by Farrar's 

 and Overymyer's, and back of Walley's. Found on the east side by 

 the Chandler cottage; also on the depot grounds near shore. In 

 flower May 6, 1901, and everywhere in bloom May 7. September 



