PARSLEY FAMILY 



UMBELLIFERAE 



SHORT-STYLED BLACK SNAKEROOT 



Sanicula canadensis L. 



Growing 1-4 feet high, rather dull green, and producing 

 numerous forked branches, this Black Snakeroot is very common 

 in woods from New Hampshire to Florida and west to South 



Dakota and Texas. The 

 leafy stems have 3-5 di- 

 visions, and the leaves are 

 alternate and petioled, ex- 

 cept those which form the 

 involucre as shown. The 

 root was formerly used in 

 medicine and the genus 

 name is derived from the 

 Latin word meaning to 

 heal. 1 



The very small white 

 flowers are produced from 

 June to August, the flower 

 parts being attached above 

 the ovary as in all mem- 

 bers of the family. The 

 calyx is about one-twentieth 

 of an inch long and is 

 divided into s pointed lobes 

 which are longer than the 

 5 minute white petals. The 5 stamens are attached to a flat 

 disk at the base of the 1 short styles. 



The fruit shown is immature. When mature it is about one- 

 fifth of an inch long, nearly spherical and thickly covered with 

 hooked bristles which are longer than the 2 persistent styles. 

 It is one of the very common burs that cling to our clothes in 

 autumn. 



Another species of Black Snakeroot, Sanicula rnarilandica L., is 

 very common. It is usually less branched and has firm bluish green 

 leaves, the lower of which are on long petioles. The stamens are 

 greenish white and the petals, of the same color, are slightly longer 

 than the calyx. The fruit is about one-quarter inch long and the 

 slender recurved styles are longer than the stout bristles. 



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