CIMICIFUGA 59 



gives his reasons for the change as follows: 'The name 

 Macrotrys is delusive and harsh. I have found a better 

 one, meaning snake raceme, (from botrus a bunch, and 

 ophis a snake), the raceme or long spike of flowers being 

 mostly crooked and like a snake.' 



"But one other American botanist has ever followed 

 Rafinesque's generic views. Eaton, in the fourth edition 

 of his Manual adopted them, but used Pursh's specific 

 name, calling the plant Macrotys Serpentaria. In sub- 

 sequent editions he used the old specific name, and 

 called it Macrotys racemosa. 



"Eaton was very positive regarding the rights of the 

 plant to generic rank. He spelled the name, however, 

 incorrectly Macrotys instead of Macrotrys, an error 

 that was made by De Candolle, from whom no doubt 

 Eaton took it. 



"About the time that black cohosh was beginning to 

 be used by the Eclectic practitioners, Eaton's Manual 

 was the popular text book of botany. Hence it is that 

 his name, Macrotys racemosa, was given to the plant in 

 the early medical works, and has persistently clung to it 

 in spite of botanical authority, even to the present day. 



"Forms. Cimicifuga racemosa has but little tendency 

 towards variation. Specimens from a number of widely 

 distant stations show a constancy of character. 



"In central Pennsylvania, there exist two plants dis- 

 tinguished by root gatherers as the tall and the small 

 snakeroots. We are indebted to Kate F. Kurtz for 

 specimens of the tops and rhizomes of both plants. A 

 close examination, however, shows no difference except 

 in development. The fresh rhizome of the tall plant is 

 much larger and darker colored, and the roots coarser. 

 We can only consider this plant a robust form." 



