228 CLASS XIII. ORDER I. 



used in the manufacture of certain kinds of furniture, and of the 

 pannels of carriages. The bark is fibrous, strong, and flexible, 

 and makes tolerable ropes. — July. 



234. SANGUINARIA. 



Sanguinaria Canadensis. L. Blood Root. 



American Medical Botany, PI. vli. 



This is one of our earliest spring flowers. The flower and 

 leaf proceed from the end of a horizontal, fleshy, abrupt root, 

 fed by numerous radicles. This root makes offsets from its 

 sides, which separate as the old root decays, acquiring by this 

 separation the abrupt or premorse form. 



Externally the color of the root is a brownish red. Inter- 

 nally it is pale, and when divided emits a bright orange colored 

 juice from numerous points of its surface. The bud or hyber- 

 naculura, which terminates the root, is composed of successive 

 scales or sheaths, the last of which acquires a considerable size, 

 as the plant springs up. By dissecting this hybernaculum in the- 

 summer or autumn, we may discover the embryo leaf and flower 

 of the succeeding spring, and with a common magnifier, even 

 the stamens may be counted. 



The Sanguinaria is smooth throughout. The leaves grow on 

 long channelled petioles. When spread out, they are reniforra 

 or heart shaped, with large, roundish lobes separated by obtuse 

 sinuses. The umler side is strongly reticulated with veins, it is 

 paler than the upper, and at length becomes glaucous. The 

 scape is round, rises in front of the petiole, and is infolded by 

 the young leaf. The calyx consists of two concave, ovate, 

 obtuse leaves, which are perfect in the bud, but fall off when 

 the corolla expands. Petals eight, spreading, concave, obtuse, 

 the alternate or external ones longer, so that the flower has a 

 square appearance. This is its natural character, although 

 cultivation sometimes increases the number of petals. Stamens 

 numerous, with oblong yellow anthers. Germ oblong, com- 

 pressed; style none; stigma thick, somewhat two lobed. Capsule 

 oblong, acute at both extremities, two valved. Seeds numerous, 

 roundish, compressed, dark shining red, half surrounded with a 

 peculiar white vermiform appendage, which projects at the lower 

 end. 



