MISCELLANEOUS USES 



other mine of color is Sliruli-ycllow-root (Xantlior- 

 rli'iza apiifoUd, L.Hor.), a low, slini])l)y plant of the 

 Buttercup family, witli ])in]iato l(>avos clustorod at 

 the top of a short stem, and small, brownish-yellow 

 flowers in drooping, slender raci'mcs appear! iilc in 

 April or May, in woods and on shady banks of 

 mountain streams from New York to Florida. The 

 bark and roots are richly yellow, and I'roin flie latttT 

 the dve was customarily extracted. The baik and 

 roots, too, of some of the Barberries (notably the 

 western Berheris Fremontii, Torr.) yield a yellow 

 dye, of which the Navajos used to be fond as a color 

 for their buckskins. Equally in aboriginal favor 

 as a source of yellow was the nearly related Golden 

 Seal {Hydrastis Canadensis, L.), the thick, orange- 

 colored rootstock being used. Tt occurs in rieli 

 woods from the Canadian ])order to Arkansas and 

 Georgia — a low herb, with a hairy stem t\\(»-lea\-ed 

 near the summit which bears a single, greenish-white 

 flower. It is sometimes called \'ellow Puecoon.'"' 



Puccoon is a word of Indian origin, and has been 

 applied to other plants as well. One of these, the 

 Bed Puccoon, is more commonly known as IMood- 

 root {Sanguinaria Canadensis, L.), whose hainl- 



6 The root is also the source of tlic oHicial diu^' Coldrn seal, 

 and its oollection on tliis account lias caused the plant to become 

 exteiminated in many localities where it was once common. 



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