THE CROWFOOT FAMILY. 173 



it turns to a warm, rich golden colour. Through ihc winter also its buds arc 

 highly tinted and have a silky sheen. In cultivation the yellow-root is hardy 

 and is largely used as a ground cover, or under shrub in front of others 

 that are larger. For such planting it is sent out from the I'jiltmore nurser\ 

 by the tens of thousands. In September the people collect the rhizomes 

 which they use something as alum and especially to cure sore mouths o( 

 children. The Indians from the plant's intensely bitter roots made one of 

 their most valued dyes. 



AMERICAN BUGBANE. 



Ciinicifuga A))icricau(i . 



TIME OF BLOOM 

 July, August. 

 Fruit: Octol'er. 



/7t77ivrj-.- growing in lateral and terminal wand-like racemes; one to two feet 

 in length and usually comi)ound; finely pubescent. Sepals: petal-like, early fall- 

 ing. Petals: small, two-lobed. Stamens: numerous. Pistils: three to eight, 

 with minute stigmas. Follieles : stalked, two or three together, curved, inflated, 

 tijiped with a beak. Seeds: downy. Leaves: alternate, with long petioles, pin- 

 nately-divided, the divisions often again divided ; leaflets, rather irregular, oblong 

 to ovate, dentate and cleft, the terminal one, three-lobed ; deep green; thin; gla- 

 brous. Stem : three to five feet high ; leafy. 



Waving their wands of fleecy white flowers high over the heads of mints 

 and lilies and Indian pipes, the bugbanes fairly take possession of the 

 late summer woods. Even those who care little for wild flowers must, it 

 would seem, stop and inquire something of their history. As a genus they 

 are all much alike, it being usually the botanists who stop and discriminate 

 between the species. They are known moreover as having medicinal prop- 

 erties while in the mountains of North Carolina I found the belief to be al- 

 most universal that a tea made from them and strong enough to produce 

 violent sweating would cure inflammatory troubles. It is mostly the follow- 

 ing species, the black snakeroot, however, which is employed, and in such 

 immoderate quantities do the people drink it that according to the saying of 

 native doctors, they produce instead of curing, rheumatism and similar ills, 



C. racenibsa, black snakeroot, or black cohosh, u'ith its more extended 

 range than the preceding species, is well known through wooded places 

 from Missouri and Georgia to Maine. Its ovate, or obovate leaflets are 

 pointed at their apices while towards their bases they are narrowed or sub- 

 cordate. They are much cut about their margins. The fluffy, attractive 

 bloom of this species, surprises one when approached with a fetid, disagree- 

 able odour. Its carpels are borne solitary, or in pairs and are not stalked. 

 Besides having the medicinal properties already mentioned the plant is 

 credited with the power of repelling plant vermin. The Indians, moreover, 

 looked upon it as one of their rattlesnake masters. 



