ABISTOLOCHIACEAE 241 



1. A. Serpent&ria. L. Herbaceous ; stem nearly erect, slender 

 and flexuose; leaves lance-oblong, auriculate-cordate at base; 

 flowers subradical ; calyx-tube much bent. 

 SNAKE-ROOT ARISTOLOCHIA. Virginia Snake-root. 



Stem 9 to 15 inches high, rather leaning, simple, or somewhat branched from 

 the base, leafy above, with minute abortive leaves below. Leaves 2 to 5 inches 

 long, sometimes hastate-sagittate ; petioles l / to near an inch in length. Flowers 

 rather large, few, dull purplish-brown, often concealed under leaves ; peduncles I 

 to 2 inches in length ; bracts small, ovate, alternate; capsule turbinate, % an inch 

 to % in length, somewhat fleshy, pubescent. 

 Hub. Rich woodlands : frequent. Fl. June. Fr. August. 



Obs. The root is a well-known and very valuable aromatic stimu- 

 lant. 



ORDER LXXVI. PHYTOLACCACEAE. 



Herbs, or suffruticose plants ; leaves alternate, entire, without stipules ; flowers 

 racemose ; calyx of 4 or 5 petal -like slightly connected sepals ; stamens as many, 

 or twice as many, as the sepals; ovary mostly composed of 10 verticillate con- 

 fluent 1-ovuled carpels, with the styles, or stigmas, distinct; fruit baccate, or dry ; 

 embryo forming a ring round mealy albumen. 



345. PHYTOL-AC'CA, Tournef. 



[Or. Phyton, a plant, and Lachanon, a pot-herb; the young shoots being so used.] 

 Flowers mostly perfect: Sepals 5, roundish-ovate, persistent. Sta- 

 mens 10 ; anthers incumbent. Fruit a depressed-globose compound 

 5- to 10-celled berry. Perennial herbs : leaves petiolate, large ; flow- 

 ers in lateral racemes. 



I. 1*. clcciiiiclrsi, //. Stout; smooth, and often purple; leaves 

 ovate-oblong; berries 10-celled, juicy, dark purple. 

 DECANDROUS PHYTOLACCA. Poke. Poke-weed. Pigeon-berry. 



Stem 4 to 6 or 8 feet high, branching, terete, or obtusely ridged. Leaves 5 to 10 

 inches long, acute, or acuminate, thin ; petioles half an inch to 2 inches in length. 

 Racemes usually opposite th leaves, 3 to 6 inches long, simple; pedicels about half 

 an inch in length, each with a subulate bract at base, and usually 2 smaller sub- 

 opposite bracts near the middle. Sepals white. 

 Hob. Rich banks; borders of woods: common. Fl June. Fr. Aug. 



Obs. The young shoots of this plant afford a very tolerable sub- 

 stitute for Asparagus, rwhile the coarse root is said to be an active 

 emetic. KALM, in his Travels, calls the plant by the name of 

 American Nightshade. 



ORDER LXXVII. CHENOPODIA N CEAE. 



Chiefly coarse weed-like herbs; leaves mostly alternate, more or less fleshy ; stipules 

 none; flowers inconspicuous, destitute of bracts. sometimes dioicous, or polygam- 

 ous; calyx mostly free from the ovary, 2- or 3- to 5-lobed, imbricated in the bud, 

 persistent, embracing the fruit; stamens usually as many as the calyx-lobes, and 

 opposite them; ovary 1 -celled, becoming a 1-seeded utricle, or akenc, la fruit; 

 embryo peripherical, coiled round the farinaceous albumen. 



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