RANUNCULACE^E CROWFOOT FAMILY 



SHRUB YELLOW-ROOT 



Xanthorrhlza apiifblia. 



Xanthorrhiza, compounded of two Greek words, xanthos, 

 yellow, and rhiza, a root. Apiifolia, leaves like those of 

 celery. 



A low shrub of upright stems, two to three feet high, growing 

 along the shady banks of streams in Pennsylvania and New 

 York and in the mountains of the South. Suckers freely ; roots 

 long, slender, deep yellow ; from their bitter juice the Indians 

 procured a yellow dye. 



Bark. Outer bark yellowish brown ; the inner bark yellow ; 

 branchlets pale greenish gray. 



Winter buds. One slender, pointed, terminal bud about an 

 inch long crowns the stem; two or three small, lateral buds 

 appear somewhat below. 



Leaves. Alternate, pinnately compound, sometimes bipin- 

 nate, three to six inches long ; leaflets five, ovate or oblong, in- 

 cisely cleft or divided, and coarsely toothed, sessile, wedge- 

 shaped at base, one and one-half to three inches long. They 

 come out of the bud involute, pale green, hairy, and shining ; 

 when full grown are bright green above, paler beneath. Au- 

 tumnal tints are either bright yellow, or a glowing reddish pur- 

 ple, melting from dark bronze into paler tints ; two plants may 

 stand side by side, one purple, the other yellow. Petioles long, 

 slender, clasping. 



