156 
PHARMACOQNOS Y. 
Description. — Virginia Snakeroot. — Rhizome oblique, 
subcylindrical, with numerous roots and frequently 
with leaves or fruiting stems, 10 to 25 mm. long, and 
2 to 4 mm. in diameter ; externally dark brown, slightly 
annulate from scars of bud-scales, upper portion with 
stem-scars or stem-remnants, under and side portions 
with numerous roots and root-scars; fracture short; 
internally, bark dark brown, 03 to 0'5 mm. thick, 
wood yellow, radiate, porous, 1 to 1'5 mm. thick, pith 1 
mm. in diameter; odor terebinthinate ; taste bitter, 
aromatic. 
Roots nearly straight, 4 to 7 cm. long, about 0’5 mm. 
in diameter, longitudinally wrinkled, bark light brown, 
wood yellowish, 5-rayed. 
Texas Snakeroot. — Rhizome 5 to 10 mm. long, 1 to 2 
mm. in diameter; roots about 03 mm. in diameter, 
with numerous more or less interlacing rootlets. 
Constituents. — Volatile oil 05 to 1 per cent.; a bitter, 
alkaloidal principle aristolochine; resin; tannin; starch; 
ash about 10 per cent. 
SPIGELIA (Pinkroot). 
The rhizome and roots of Spigelia Marilandica (Fam. 
Loganiacese), a perennial herb indigenous to the South- 
ern United States. Spigelia should be collected in 
autumn, carefully dried and preserved, and not kept 
longer than two years. 
Description. — Rhizome horizontal or slightly ob- 
lique, more or less branched, To to 3 cm. long, 2 to 3 
mm. in diameter; externally dark brown, slightly 
annulate from scars of bud scales, the upper portion 
with stem-scars or stem-remnants, under and side por- 
tions with numerous roots and root-scars; fracture 
short; internally, bark dark brown, 0‘2 to 05 mm. 
thick, wood yellow, slightly radiate, 1 to T5 mm. thick, 
