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ARISTOLOCHIA SERPENTARIA. 
This species of Aristolochia * is a native of Norlh America, from 
Pennsylvania to Florida, flowering in May and June, and ripening its 
seeds in September. It was first cultivated in this country about 
the year 1770. In Johnson's edition of Gerarde's Herbal, we are 
told that it was brought from Virginia, and was cultivated in the 
garden of Mr. J.Tradescant, of South Lambeth, in 1632, but there is 
some doubt if it was the species that affords the officinal root. 
The root of the Serpentaria is perennial, and consists of a number 
of small fibres, proceeding from a common trunk ; externally of a 
yellowish colour, (which changes to brown on drying) internally 
whitish; from the root rises several slender, round, crooked, jointed 
stems, which rise about eight or ten inches in height ; the leaves are 
heart-shaped, entire, pointed, veined, and stand upon strong foot- 
stalks, to which they are attached by three prominent ribs; the 
flowers are monopetalous, solitary, of a purplish colour, and placed 
upon long sheathed peduncles, which arise from the articulations of 
the stem ; there is no calyx ; the corolla is tubular, irregular, and at 
the base distended into a globular form, at the middle contracted 
and twisted, at the extremity spreading, and of a triangular form ; 
the anthers are sessile, attached to the under side of the stigma, 
which is roundish, divided into six parts, and supported on a very 
short style ; the germen is oblong, angular, hairy, and inferior ; 
the capsule is hexagonal, six- celled, containing several small fiat 
seeds. 
The roots of the Serpentaria are imported into this country in 
their dry state, in bales, containing from two to five cwt. each. We 
are told that the roots of the Collinsonia Praecox, and various species 
of Aristolochia, are frequently mixed in the packages with the 
genuine snake roots. 
Sensible AND Chemical Properties, &c. Snake root has 
an aromatic odour, somewhat like that of Valerian, but more agree- 
able ; its taste is warm, bitter, and pungent. It gives out its active 
matter both to water and alcohol, and tinges the former of a deep 
yellow brown, the latter of an orange colour ; the watery infusion is 
not altered by any of the mineral acids ; sulphate of iron, or zinc, 
nitrate of silver, tartarized antimony, oxymuriate of mercury, or the 
alkalies, nor is it precipitated by tannin or gelatine. Superacetate of 
lead' throws down a flocculent precipitate, which is not soluble in 
acetic acid, shewing the presence of mucus. By distillation with water 
* Twenty species of this genus are cultivated in our botanic gardens.— ^forl. Cant» 
