70 RANUNCULACE^E. 



Actaea alba Bigelow. White Baneberry. 



Description. Calyx : sepals 4, oblong, white. Corolla : petals 4 to 8, as 

 long as the stamens, slender, mostly truncate at the ends, stamen-like, 

 white ; filaments shorter than in the preceding species. Ovary and stigma 

 like those of the preceding. Berries white, tipped with red, about 8-seed- 

 ed, on thickened, red pedicels the size of the common peduncle. Stem and 

 leaves larger and rather smoother than the preceding. Rhizome similar. 



FIG. 99. Actaea alba. 



Racemes oblong, the flowers appearing a week or two later than those of 

 the other species. 



Habitat. Rich woods from Canada to Georgia and westward to the 

 Mississippi. 



Parts Used. The rhizome and roots not official. 



Constituents. Nothing definite is known as to the composition of these 

 plants, though they are supposed to possess properties similar to those of 

 cimicifuga. 



Preparations. There are no commercial preparations of the American 



