MISC. PUBLICATION 



U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



AMERICAN FALSE-HELLEBORE 



Veratrum viride Ait. (Fig. 5.) 



Other common names. — True veratrum, green veratrum, American veratrum, 

 green hellebore, swamp hellebore, big hellebore, false hellebore, bear corn, bug- 

 bane, bugwort, devil's-bite, earth gall, Indian poke, itchweed, tickleweed, duck- 

 retter. 



Habitat and range. — American false-hellebore is native in rich wet woods, 

 swamps, and wet meadows, its range extending from Canada, Alaska, and Min- 

 nesota south to Georgia and Tennessee. 



Description. — The large bright-green leaves of this plant make their way 

 through the ground early in spring, followed later in the season by a stout, erect 

 leafy stem, sometimes growing as tall as 6 feet. It is round and solid, pale green, 

 closely surrounded by the sheathing bases of the leaves and unbranched except 

 in the flowering head. The large leaves, the lower ones of which are from 6 to 12 

 inches in length and 3 to 6 inches in width, are hairy and pleated like a fan. The 

 numerous greenish-yellow flowers are produced from May to July in rather open 

 clusters. The plant is very poisonous. 



Part used. — The rootstock, dug in autumn when the leaves have died down. 

 In reasonablv constant demand. 



Figure 



American false-hellebore (Vera- 

 trum riride) 



Figure 



American linden (Tilia 

 americana) 



AMERICAN LINDEN 



Tilia americana L. (Fig. 6.) 



Synonyms. — Tilia glabra Vent.; T. canadensis Michx. 



Other common names. — Basswood, whitewood, bast tree, black lime tree, 

 American lin tree, American lime tree, beetree, daddynut tree, monkeynut tree, 

 whistlewood, white lind, red basswood, yellow basswood, wickup. 



Habitat and range. — This native forest tree is found in rich woods, especially 

 along the mountains, from Canada to Georgia and west to Texas and Nebraska. 



Description. — The American linden is a large tree attaining a height of from 

 60 to 125 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 to 5 feet, with spreading branches. The 

 somewhat leathery leaves are pointed at the apex, heart-shaped at the base, with 

 sharply toothed margins and are borne on stems about 1 or 2 inches long. The 

 flowers are produced in great abundance from May to June in drooping clusters 

 composed of" from 6 to 20 yellowish, very fragrant flowers. At the base of each 

 cluster and grown to its stalk is a leaflike bract 2 to 4 inches in length. The round- 

 ish, grayish-green fruit is dry and woody and contains one or two seeds. 



Part used.— The flowers, carefully dried in the shade. In limited demand only. 



