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MISC. PUBLICATION 77, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



TURTLEHEAD 



Ckelone glabra L. (Fig. 109.) 



Other common names. — Balmony, white turtlehead, turtle bloom, fishmouth, 

 codhead, salt-rheum weed, snakehead, bitter herb, shellflower. 



Habitat and range. — This native plant grows in swamps and along streams 

 from Newfoundland to Manitoba and south to Florida and Kansas. 



Description. — Turtlehead is an erect, slender herb with a 4-angled stem 1 to 4 

 feet in height and short-stemmed, sharp-toothed leaves from 3 to 6 inches in 

 length. The flower clusters, which are produced in late summer or early fall, 

 consist of showy, whitish or pinkish flowers about an inch in length, resembling 

 in form the head of a turtle or a snake. 



Part used. — The herb, especially the leaves, collected during the flowering 

 period. In reasonably constant demand. 



Figure 109.— Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) 



TWINLEAF 



Figure 110.— Twinleaf (Jeffersonia 

 diphylla) 



Jeffersonia diphylla (L.) Pers. (Fig. 110.) 



Other common names. — Jeffersonia, rheumatism root, helmetpod, ground- 

 squirrel pea, yellowroot. 



Habitat and range. — Twinleaf inhabits rich shady woods from New York to 

 Virginia and westward to Wisconsin. 



Description. — Twinleaf is only about 6 or 8 inches in height when in flower, 

 but reaches a height of 18 inches at the fruiting stage. The long-stemmed, 

 smooth leaves are almost completely divided into two leaflets and arise directly 

 from the base of the plant. The white flowers measuring about 1 inch across, 

 which appear early in spring, are borne singly on a slender stalk arising from the 

 root and are followed by a leathery, somewhat pear-shaped capsule containing 

 many seeds. Twinleaf has a thick, knotty, yellowish-brown, horizontal root- 

 stock with many fibrous, much-matted roots. 



Part used, — The rootstock, collected in autumn. In limited demand only. 



