44  Indigenous  Plants  of  Medical  Interest.  { Am-^Z'm^Tin' 
which  also  accounts  for  the  sudden  disappearance  of  more  than  one  native 
herb. 
In  the  genus  Anemone  proper  several  of  our  species  have  remedial  virtues 
ascribed  to  them,  notably  ^4.  nemorosa  and  A.  Virginian  a.  The  former  is  a 
small  vernal  plant  with  very  pretty  white  flowers  and  popularly  known  as  wind 
flower  from  its  delicate  scape  supporting  the  flower  swaying  with  the  lightest 
breeze.  The  second  species  is  more  robust,  reaching  nearly  3  feet  in  height. 
They  are  both  found  among  old  woodlands  and  clearings. 
The  genus  Thalictrum  has  had  representatives  in  medicine  to  a  very  limited 
extent,  including  also  its  late  but  near  relative,  Anemonella  thalictroides,  of 
Spach,  or  Thalictrum  anemonoides  of  Michaux.  They  are  simply  mentioned 
on  account  of  their  abundance  in  our  vicinity.  A  genus  that  is  credited  with 
haying  a  foreign  element  in  it,  is  Ranunculus,  the  buttercups  of  the  fields. 
The  plants  are  all  moderately  small,  though  some  natives  reach  2  feet  or  more 
in  height,  and  some  introduced  species  sometimes  3  feet.  In  this  vicinity  we 
have  the  following  species  :  Ranunculus  abortivus,  R.  sceleratus,  R.  septen- 
trionalis,  R.  repens  and  R.  fascicularis.  These  are  credited  with  medicinal 
virtues,  but  outside  of  great  acrimony  not  much  can  be  expected,  and  the  spe- 
cies sceleratus  furnishes  that  more  than  any  of  the  others.  This  is  a  frequenter 
of  water-ways  and  thrives  luxuriantly  therein. 
Ranunculus  acris  and  bulbosus  are  the  laddies  from  o'er  the  sea,  and  like 
other  folks  of  upper  birth  are  going  to  stay ;  the  latter  is  now  so  common  in 
this  section  of  the  State,  that  it  has  long  since  been  denominated  a  weed  ; 
fitfully,  too,  as  its  extermination  is  as  remote  as  the  second  youth  of  Old  Phila- 
delphia.   R.  acris  is  found  further  north  and  west. 
Caltha  palustris  is  another  drug  looming  up  in  its  golden  morn  among  the 
marshes  of  New  Jersey,  and  a  few  in  this  State  and  commonly  called,  therefore, 
marsh  marigold.  It  is  supposed  to  contain  essentially  the  same  principles  as 
genus  Ranunculus. 
The  king  of  snake  roots,  Cimicifuga  racemosa,  of  Elliott  and  Nuttall,  is  one 
of  our  most  abundant  of  woodland  plants,  and  every  one  should  be  able  to 
recognize  it.  Its  large  leaves  and  extended  wand-like  raceme  of  white  flowers 
make  it  a  conspicuous  figure  in  late  spring,  and  once  seen  they  will  never  be 
forgotten,  nor  the  plant  mistaken,  and  his  sceptre  of  seeds  remaining  through- 
out the  season  and  sometimes  the  winter,  stands  a  fitting  emblem  to  his  majesty's 
short-lived  greatness.  This  is  about  the  only  plant  in  this  order  that  can  boast 
of  noble  birth,  hence  the  reason  for  his  apparent  madness — hereditar}r.  Surely, 
no  foreign  potentate  of  recent  or  remote  age  ever  languished  under  such  a 
category  of  titles,  proper  and  common,  than  does  this  majestic  bugbaue  of 
our  woodlands,  and  after  enumerating  some  of  them,  kindly  note  how  easily 
rests  this  head  that  wears  a  crown.  Linnaeus  and  Willdenow  called  it  Actcea 
racemosa,  and  it  was  called  Cimicifuga  Serpentaria,  by  Pursh  ;  Actcea  mono- 
gyna,  by  Walter,  Cimicifuga  racemosa,  by  Elliott  and  Nuttall  ;  Actcea  ortho- 
stackya,  by  Wend  ;  Macrotys  actceoides,  M.  Serpentaria  and  M.  racemosa,  by 
Rafinesque  ;  Botrophis  Serpentaria  and  B.  actceoides,  by  Fischer  and  Meyer, 
and  Christophoriana  cauadense  racemosa,  by  Tournefort. 
Is  there  not  a  resemblance  in  this  list  to  the  titles  of  a  great  prince  in  a  little 
principality  ?  Hence,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  it  never  got  out  of  the 
woods  with  this  burden  of  scientific  synonyms  on  its  back,  and  these  harsh 
