- ARISTOLOCHI ACE^E. 53I 



of his Herbarium ; and, although admitted as a species by most botanists, 

 does not appear to be sufficiently distinct from one of the varieties of A. ser- 

 pentaria. At least specimens answering in all respects to it have been found 

 in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Both Muhlenberg and Nuttall state that it is 

 a native of the Southern States. 



4. A. reticulata, Nvttall. — Stems short, sometimes branched near the roots, slender, 

 flexuous, jointed ; very pubescent when young, slightly villous when old. Leaves on 

 short petioles, oblong, cordate, large, obtuse, reticulated with very prominent veins, vil- 

 lous on both sides. Peduncles sub-radical, hairy, scaly, several-flowered. Flowers on 

 short pedicels, small, purplish, very pubescent. Capsule hexagonal, deeply sulcate, some- 

 what hirsute. 



The root is composed of a knotty caudex, from which arise numerous long 

 fibres, larger than those of the A. serpentaria, of a yellowish colour, aro- 

 matic odour, and warm, aromatic, bitter taste. It is now not unfrequent in 

 the drug market, and is derived from the States west of the Mississippi. It 

 is fully equal to the officinal species, and even, according to the experiments 

 of Mr. Wiegand [Am. Jour. Pharm. xvi. 10), is superior to it. 



5. A. tomentosa, Sims. — Stem twining, ascending to the tops of the tallest trees. 

 Leaves roundish, cordate, villous beneath. Peduncles solitary, axillary, ebracteate. 

 Calyx densely villous ; limb trifid, greenish-yellow, orifice oblique and gaping ; margin 

 elevated, dark-purple, rugose ; inner part of tube white, with purple spots. Stigmas 3. 



This species, which is found in Carolina and the States west of the Missis- 

 sippi, was confounded by Nuttall with the A. hirsuta, but differs from it in 

 several important particulars, — in the axillary and not sub-radical flowers, 

 in having three stigmas, and a trifid and not a bilabiate calyx. It is more 

 closely allied to A. sipko, and is included by Rafinesque with that plant in 

 his sub-genus Siphisia [Med. Flor. i. 62). The root has not been described, 

 but probably resembles that of A. sipho, in being coarser and less aromatic 

 than those of the other species above-mentioned. 



The A. serpentaria is found in many parts of the United States, growing 

 in shady woods, especially on hill-sides. It is less common in alluvial and 

 calcareous soils. It flowers in May and June ; Rafinesque states but once 

 or seldom ; but in this he is in error, as, from actual observation, I am satis- 

 fied that it flowers regularly each year, after it has attained a certain age, 

 and, as far as it has been ascertained, in its third year. In some seasons 

 it flowers more plentifully and freely than in others, but never fails each suc- 

 cessive year to develope its inflorescence. In consequence of the demand 

 for the roots, it has become scarce in all the Atlantic States, or at least in 

 their more eastern parts, but may still be found in some abundance in cer- 

 tain situations. 



The root, as found in the shops, is in tufts of slender, long, matted fibres, 

 attached to a knotty, rugged head. They are brittle, and of a yellowish or 

 brownish colour. The odour is aromatic and agreeable ; the taste is some- 

 what pungent, bitter, and aromatic. The powder is grayish. It imparts its 

 properties to alcohol and water, affording a greenish tincture with the former, 

 and a yellowish-brown infusion with the latter. The roots of the A. reticulata, 

 as before mentioned, are very analogous, the main difference being the larger 

 size of the fibres. Snakeroot usually comes to market in bales of about a 

 hundred pounds, sometimes composed of the roots alone, and at others with 

 the stems and leaves, for the most part free from foreign substances, but 

 sometimes with an admixture of Spigelia (Smith, Jour. Phil. Coll. Pharm. i. 

 265). The foreign writers state that it is sometimes adulterated with the 



