34 AMERICAN MEDICINAL LEAVES AND HERBS. 
SQUAW VINE. 
Mitchella repens L. 
Other common names —Checkerberry, partridgeberry, deerberry, hive vine, squaw- 
berry, twinb@rry, chickenberry, cowberry, boxberry, foxberry, partridge vine, winter 
clover, wild running box, 
oneberry, pigeonberry, 
snakeberry, two-eyed ber- 
ry, squaw-plum. 
Habitat and range.—The 
squaw vine is common in 
woods from Nova Scotia 
to Minnesota and south to 
Florida and Arkansas, 
where it is generally found 
creeping about the bases 
oi trees. 
Description.—This slen- 
der, creeping or trailing 
evergreen herb, a member 
of the madder iamily 
(Rubiacez), has stems 6 
to 12 inches long, rooting 
at the joints, and roundish- 
oval, rather thick, shining, 
dark-green opposite leaves 
about half an inch in 
length, which are blunt at 
the apex and rounded or 
somewhat heart shaped at 
the base, with margins 
entire. Sometimes the 
leaves show whitish veins. 
The plant flowers from 
about April to June, pro- 
ducing fragrant whitish, 
sometimes pale-purplish, 
funnel-shaped and 4-lobed 
flowers, two borne to- 
gether on a stalk and having the ovaries (seed-bearing portion) united, resulting in 
a double, berrylike fruit. These fruits are red and contain eight small, bony 
nutleis. (Fig. 26.) They remain on the vine through the winter and are edible, 
though practically tasteless. 
Collection, prices, and uses.—The leaves and stems (herb) are collected at almost any 
time of the year and range in price from about 34 to 4centsa pound. 
The leaves have no odor and are somewhat astringent and bitter. Squaw vine has 
tonic, astringent, and diuretic properties. 
219 
Fig. 26.—Squaw vine (Mitchellz repens), leaves and fruits. 
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