Zanthorhiza. RANUNCULACE^. 25 



15. ZANTHORHIZA. Marsh, arb. 167 ; Endl. gen. 4S03. yellow-ROOT. 



[From the Greek, xanthos, yellow, and rkiza, a root.] 



Sepals 5, petaloid. Petals 5, of 2 roundish gland-like lobes, raised on a pedicel. Stamens 

 5 - 10. Ovaries 5 - 10 - 15, pointed with the curved styles, 2 - 3-ovuled. Follicles 

 nneinbranaceous, sessile, compressed, obtuse, mostly 1 -seeded. Seed suspended. — Suf- 

 frutescent : the root and bark yellow and bitter. Leaves pinnately divided, the segments 

 incised. Racemes appearing with the leaves, compound. Flowers minute, dark purple ; 

 often, by abortion, polygamous. 



1. Zanthorhiza apiifolu, L'Htr. Yellow-root. 



L'Her. stirp. nov. p. 79. t. 38 ; Lam. ill. t. 854 ; B. S. Bart. elem. hot. t. 12; Duliam. 

 arb. ed. nov. 3. p. 181. t. 37, ex DC. sj/st. I. p. 386 ; Bart. ( W. I'. C.) veg. mat. med. 2. t. 

 46 ; Torr. ^ Gr. ]). 1 . 40. Xanthorhiza simplicissima. Marsh. I. c. 



Root large. Plant 2-3 feet high, branching. Outer bark grayish ; the liber yellow. 

 Leaves quinately pinnate ; lobes ovate, 1-2 inches long, acute, sharply and incisely serrate 

 and lobed ; petioles 2-5 inches long. Racemes 2-4 inches long, slender, pendulous. 

 Sepals elliptical, lanceolate, tapering at the base. Petals scarcely one-fifth as long as the 

 stamens, the hmb consisting of two roundish purple lobes, supported on a short narrow claw. 

 Ovaries (in the pistillate plant) 12 - 15, oblong, terminated by a curved style of more than 

 their own length. Follicles (in the pistillate plant) 7 - 10, membranaceous, 2-valved above, 

 gibbous at the base, obtuse and somewhat recurved at the summit, the persistent style, at 

 maturity (from the growth of the ventral suture) attached to the back about two-thirds of the 

 way from the base. Seed ovoid, suspended from the summit. Embryo near the base of 

 fleshy, very oily, albumen. 



In a dark ravine, Sherburne, 11 miles from Hamilton {Dr. Douglass). Fl. April and begin- 

 ning of May. I have seen no staminate or perfect flowers of this plant. 



[Flora.] 



