Indian Cucumber-root (Medeola virginiana) is a 
common woodland plant, but the flowers are so incon¬ 
spicuous that they are often overlooked; in fact they 
are often nodding below the upper leaves so as to be 
invisible. The stem is tall and slender, ranging from 
1 to 3 feet in height; it rises from a thick horizontal 
rootstalk, having a taste similar to that of the cucum¬ 
ber. A whorl of from five to nine ovate-lanceolate, 
pointed leaves is located midway on the stem; at the 
top, three smaller but similarly shaped leaves radiate. 
Above these, or it may be below, because of the curving 
pedicels, are three flowers. They are pale greenish-yel¬ 
low; the three sepals and three petals composing the 
perianth are very much reflexed or curled; they have 
six stamens each, and one style dividing into three 
purplish-brown, recurved stigmas. 
It is said that the Indians formerly used the roots 
for food; at the present time they are used for various 
medicinal preparations. Cucumber-root is found from 
N. B. to Manitoba and southwards to the Gulf, flower 
mg in rich woods during May and June, 
37 
