14 



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



BLOODROOT 



Sanguinaria canadensis L. (Fig. 21.) 



Other common names. — Redroot, red puccoon, red Indian paint, puccoon-root, 

 coonroot, white puccoon, pauson, snakebite, sweet-slumber, tetterwort. 



Habitat and range. — Bloodroot is found in rich, open woods from Canada south 

 to Florida and west to Arkansas and Nebraska. 



Description. — This is one of our earliest spring flowers, the waxy white blossom, 

 enfolded by the grayish-green leaf, usually making its appearance early in April. 

 A single leaf and flower stalk are produced from each bud on the rootstock. Stems 

 and leaves are smooth and covered with a bloom which gives them a whitish 

 appearance. The leaves, which are borne on stems 6 to 14 inches long, are five 

 to nine lobed and after the plant has ceased flowering expand to from 4 to 7 inches 

 in length and 6 to 12 inches in width. The white, rather waxlike flower is about 

 1 inch across and develops into an oblong, narrow seed pod. Both the rootstock 

 and the stem contain a blood-red juice. 



Part used. — The rootstock, collected in autumn. After drying, it should be 

 carefully stored because moisture affects its quality. In reasonably constant 

 demand. . 



Figure 21. 



•Bloodroot (Sanguinaria cana- 

 densis) 



Figure 22. 



-Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum 

 thalictroides) 



BLUE COHOSH 



Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michx. (Fig. 22.) 



Other common names. — Caulophyllum, papoose root, squawroot, blueberry 

 root, blue ginseng, yellow ginseng. 



Habitat and range. — Blue cohosh is found in the deep rich loam of shady woods 

 from New Brunswick to South Carolina and westward to Nebraska, being abun- 

 dant especially throughout the Allegheny Mountain region. 



Description". — Blue cohosh is from 1 to 3 feet in height and bears at the top 

 one large, almost stemless leaf which is divided into three divisions, each of which 

 is again divided into three divisions consisting of three leaflets each. The latter 

 have from three to five lobes. During its early growth the plant is covered with 

 a bluish-green bloom which gradually disappears. The small greenish-yellow 

 flowers are borne in small heads during April and May. The small round seeds, 

 which ripen in August, are borne on stout stalks and resemble dark-blue berries. 

 The thick, crooked rootstock is covered with a mass of matted roots. 



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

 constant demand. 



