24 The Shrubs of North Carolina 



with slender curved branches, often spreading like a vine over 

 other shrubs, and covered with a profusion' of flat clusters of 

 small, white, but not showy flowers. Leaves about 2 inches long 

 and broad, divided into 3 segments, and coarsely toothed. The 

 reddish fruit is membranaceous, composed of 3 to 5 sacs united 

 at base. The old bark peels off in thin layers. 



Yellow Root. (Zanthorhiza apiifolia, L'Her.) — A small 

 shrubby plant, 1 or 2 feet high, generally spreading on the 

 ground, found on moist rocky hillsides of the Middle and Upper 

 Districts. The leaves are dark green and divided somewhat like 

 those of Parsley. The flowers are small, dark purple, in loose 

 slender clusters, appearing before the leaves. The roots are in- 

 tensely bitter, of a yellow color, and were used by the Indians in 

 making a yellow dye. 



Red Root. (Ceanothus Americanus, Linn.) — Common in dry 

 woods from the coast to the mountains, 1 to 3 feet high, and the 

 ends of the numerous small branches having loose clusters (1 or 

 2 inches long) of small white flowers supported on white foot- 

 stalks. The leaves are 1 or 2 inches long, sharply toothed, and 

 have 3 prominent veins. The root is dark red and qufte astrin- 

 gent, and is frequently used in infusion, tincture, or powder, 

 where astringency is required. It is said also to furnish a dye of 

 a cinnamon color. The dried leaves served as a substitute for 

 Tea during the Revolution, and hence got the name of New Jersey 

 Tea. It is said to be quite as good as some of the Black Teas. 



1. Indigo Bush. (Amorpha fruticosa, Linn.) — A very pretty 

 shrub, 6 to 15 feet high, growing upon streams in all the Dis- 

 tricts, but more frequent in the Lower. The flowers are small, 

 dark purple, crowded on spikes which are 3 or 4 inches long and 

 clustered together. It is said to have been used for the manu- 

 facture of Indigo, but, I imagine, with not much profit. 



2. Dwarf Indigo Bush. (A. herbacea, Walt.) — Like No. 1 in 

 its whole habit, but only 2 or 3 feet high, of a grayish aspect, and 

 with the flowers whitish or pale-blue. It is frequent in the 

 barrens of the Lower District. The leaves in these two species 

 are pinnate, like those of the Locust and Hickory. The fruit is 

 a very small pod, sprinkled with glands. 



He Huckleberry. (Cyrilla racemiflora, Walt.) — This is an 

 absurd name, but I have never heard any other. This smooth 

 shrub inhabits the borders of swamps and branches in the Lower 

 District, and is 10 to 15 feet high. The leaves are oblong, shin- 

 ing, 2 to 3 inches long. The small white flowers grow on racemes 

 that are 3 to 5 inches long, and that are clustered on the ends of 

 the previous year's growth, and make this quite ornamental. The 



