AMERICAN MEDICINAL PLANTS 



19 



ber, is inclosed in a hard, thick, deeply furrowed shell, enveloped in a strong- 

 smelling, sticky husk. 



Part used. — The inner bark, preferably of the root, collected in autumn, and, 

 to a less extent, the leaves. In limited demand only. 



BUTTON-SNAKEROOT 



Eryngium aquaticum L. (Fig. 31.) 



Synonym. — Eryngium yuccifolium Michx. 



Other common names. — Eryngium, eryngo, water eryngo, corn snakeroot, 

 rattlesnake master, rattlesnake-weed, rattlesnake flag. 



Habitat and range. — Although sometimes occuning on dry land, button- 

 snakeroot usually inhabits swamps and low, wet ground from Connecticut and 

 the pine barrens of New Jersey to Illinois and South Dakota and south to Texas 

 and Florida. 



Description. — This plant has grasslike, rigid, parallel-veined leaves 1 to 2 

 feet in length and about one-half inch in width. The stout furrowed stem 

 reaches a height of from 2 to 6 feet and is generally unbranched except near 

 the top. The insignificant whitish flowers are borne in dense, stout-stemmed 

 heads from June to September. The stout rootstock is very knotty, with num- 

 erous short branches, and produces many thick, rather straight roots. 



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



Figure 31.— Button-snakeroot {Eryngium 

 aquaticum) 



Figure 32.— Canada wildginger (As arum 

 canadense) 



CANADA WILDGINGER 



Asarum canadense L. (Fig. 32.) 



Other common names. — Asarum, Indian ginger, Canada snakeroot, Vermont 

 snakeroot, heart snakeroot, southern snakeroot, black snakeroot, coltsfoot 

 snakeroot, black snakeweed, broad-leaved asarabacca, false coltsfoot, colicroot. 



Habitat and range. — This inconspicuous little plant frequents rich woods or 

 rich soil along roadsides from Canada south to North Carolina and Kansas. 



Description. — Canada wildginger, better known perhaps as Canada snakeroot, 

 is a small plant, apparently stemless, and not more than 6 to 12 inches in height. 

 It usually has but two leaves, which are borne on slender, finely hairy stems. 

 The leaves are kidney-shaped or heart-shaped, thin, dark green above and paler 

 green on the lower surface, and from 4 to 7 inches broad. The solitary flower 

 is borne on a short, slender stalk produced between the two leaf stems, and on 

 account of its closeness to the ground it is not readily noticeable. It is bell- 

 shaped and of a dull-brown or brownish-purple color, the inside being darker 

 than the outside. The plant has a creeping, j^ellowish rootstock with thin 

 rootlets produced from joints which occur about every inch. It has a fragrant 

 odor and spicy taste. 



Part used.— The rootstock, collected in autumn. In reasonably constant 

 demand. 



