White and Greenish 



short-lived sepals ; 6 to o rounded, flat petals ; stamens as 

 ninny as petals or (usually) twice as many ; i pistil with a 

 thick stigma Stan: i to i* ft. high, from a long, running 

 rootstock Leaves: Of flowerless stems (from separate root- 

 stock), solitary, on a long petiole from base, nearly i ft ai 

 rounded, centrally peltate, umbrella fashion, s to 7 lobed the 

 lobes 2-cleft, dark above, light given below. Leavi 

 flowering stem 1 to 3, usually a pair, similar to other 

 smaller Fruit: A fleshy, yellowish, egg-shaped, many- 

 seeded fruit about 2 in. long. 



Preferred Habitat— Rich, moist woods. 



Flowering Season — May. 



Distribution— Quebec to the Gulf of Mexico, westward to Minne- 

 sota and Texas. 



In giving this plant its abridged scientific name, Linnaeus 

 seemed to see in its leaves a resemblance to a duck's foot {Ana- 

 podophyllum) ; but equally imaginative American children call 

 them green umbrellas, and declare they unfurl only during April 

 showers. In July, a sweetly mawkish, many-seeded fruit, resem- 

 bling a yellow egg-tomato, delights the uncritical palates of little 

 people who should be warned, however, against putting any other 

 part of this poisonous, drastic plant in their mouths. Physicians 

 best know its uses. Dr. Asa Gray's statement about the harmless 

 fruit eaten by pigs and boys " aroused William Hamilton Gib- 

 son, who had happy memories of his own youthful gorges on any- 

 thing edible that grew. " Think of it, boys ! " he wrote : - and 

 think of what else he says of it : 'Ovarv ovoid, stigma sessile un- 

 dulate, seeds covering the lateral placenta each enclosed in an aril ' 

 Now it may be safe for pigs and billygoats to tackle such a com- 

 pound as that, but we boys all like to know what we are eatine and 

 I cannot but feel that the public health officials of every township 

 should require this formula of 1 )r. Gray's to be printed on everyone 

 of these big loaded pills, if that is what they are really made of." 



Bloodroot; Indian Paint; Red Puccoon 

 {Sanguinaria Canadensis) Poppy family 



Flowers— Pure white, rarely pinkish, golden centred, 1 to 1 J '■ in 

 across, solitary, at end of a smooth naked scape 6 to 1 1 

 in. tall. Calyx of 2 short-lived sepals ; corolla of S to 1] 

 oblong petals, early falling; stamens numerous; 1 short 

 pistil composed of 2 carpels, leaves: Rounded, deeply and 

 palmately lobed, the s to q lobes often cleft. Rootstock: 

 Ihick, several inches long, with fibrous roots, and filled with 

 orange-red juice. 



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