54  Notes  on  a  few  American  Drugs.  {^i™;S$r*' 
and  somewhat  contorted  appearance.  Its  most  striking  peculiarity  is,, 
that  on  the  lower  side  it  divides  into  a  number  of  closely-set  tuberous 
branches,  which  are  nearly  perpendicular  and  somewhat  conical,  grow 
to  the  length  of  about  an  inch,  and  are  then  suddenly  contracted,  each 
into  one  thin,  wiry  rootlet  of  about  one  to  two  inches.  The  rhizome  has 
a  thin  bark,  which  is  externally  of  a  black  color,  internally  of  a  greyish- 
brown,  and  adheres  but  loosely  to  the  tough  wood,  which  is  greyish  or 
blackish-brown,  and  divided  into  numerous  very  narrow  wedges,  loosely 
connected  by  the  shrunken,  narrow  medullary  rays  from  which  the 
tangential  surface,  after  the  removal  of  the  bark,  assumes  a  lace-like 
appearance.  The  rootlets  have  a  similar  character,  only  the  bark  is 
relatively  thicker.  The  recent  rhizome  branches,  from  which  over- 
ground stems  had  grown,  are  scarcely  one- quarter  inch  in  diameter,  but 
on  their  lower  surface  show  already  the  disposition  of  sending  off  the 
perpendicular,  cylindric-conical  branches  described,  and  as  the  latter 
increase  in  size  the  stem  bases  become  almost  absolete,  and  are  reduced 
to  mere  scars,  more  or  less  concave.  The  entire  rhizome  is  inodor- 
ous, and  the  wood  tasteless,  while  the  bark  has  a  slightly  acrid  and 
peculiar  bitterish  taste. 
"  Blackroot "  resembles  in  color  the  rhizomes  of  Cimicifuga  race- 
mosa  and  Leptandra  virginica,  both  of  which  are  easily  distinguished 
from  it  by  the  total  absence  of  the  perpendicular  tuberous  branches, 
and  more  particularly  the  former,  by  its  stout  ascending  rhizome 
branches  and  the  cross-shaped  disposition  of  the  meditullium  of  its 
rootlets;  and  the  latter  by  the  horizontal  branches  of  the  rhizome,  its 
hard  wood  and  rather  large  pentagonal  or  hexagonal  central  pith. 
In  regard  to  its  medicinal  properties,  Dr.  F.  P.  Porcher  ("  Resources 
of  the  Southern  Fields  and  Forests,"  p.  460)  says  that  much  use  is 
made  of  it  as  an  alterative,  and  that  it  is  supposed  to  be  possessed  of 
decided  value ;  also,  that  it  is  well  known  as  the  blackroot  of  the 
negroes,  and  is  given  in  the  form  of  decoction  (how  strong  ?)  several 
times  a  day.    Nothing  is  known  of  its  chemical  constituents. 
Ledum  latifolium,  Alt. — About  nine  months  ago  specimens  from 
a  shrubby  plant  were  received  from  Michigan,  in  the  northern  part  of 
which  State  the  Indians  claim  for  it  great  healing  virtues,  it  being 
regarded  to  possess  soporific  and  cathartic  properties,  and  externally 
used  as  a  sovereign  remedy  in  fever  sores,  bruises  and  rheumatism. 
The  dry  fruit  capsules  still  attached  to  the  plant  made  it  not  difficult 
