532 A TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY. 



United States contains similar principles. The seeds and rhizomes 

 are rich in starch and are used as food, in some cases starch being 

 manufactured from them, as of various species of Nymphcca, 

 Nelumbo (Lotus) and Victoria, and Euryale ferox. 



b. RANUNCULACE^ OR CROWFOOT FAMILY. 

 These are annual or perennial herbs with simple or compound 

 leaves, regular or irregular flowers, and fruits which are akenes, 

 follicles, or berries. 



FIG. 295. Fruiting top of Golden Seal (Hydrastis canadensis), showing the two large 

 palmate leaves, above one of which is a berry-like fruit which is bright red when ripe. 



Hydrastis canadensis yields the official drug hydrastis. From 

 a short, thick, horizontal rhizome with numerous slender roots 

 rises a short stalk with a few palmately lobed, reniform, petiolate, 

 pubescent leaves. The flowers are small, solitary and greenish- 

 white, and the fruit is a head of crimson berries somewhat resem- 

 bling the raspberry (Fig. 295). 



Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh or black snakeroot) yields 

 the official drug cimicifuga. This is a tall perennial herb with large 

 knotty rhizome, large decompound leaves, and a long raceme of 

 white flowers (Fig. 296). 



