POKEWEED.
Phytolacca Decandra L. a.
Synonym--Phytolacca Americana (L). a.
Pharmacopoeial Name--Phytolacca.
Other Common Names--Poke, pigeon-berry, garget, scoke, pocan, coakum,
Virginia poke, inkberry, red inkberry, American nightshade,
cancer-jalap, redweed.
Habitat and Range--Pokeweed, a common, familiar, native weed, is
found in rich, moist soil along fence rows, fields, and uncultivated
land from the New England States to Minnesota south to Florida and
Texas.
Description of Plant--In Europe, where pokeweed has become
naturalized from his country, it is regarded as an ornamental garden
plant, and, indeed, it is very showy and attractive with its reddish
purple stems, rich green foliage, and clusters of white flowers and
dark-purple berries.
The stout, smooth stems, arising from a very large perennial root,
attain a height of from 3 to 9 feet and are erect and branched, green
at first, then reddish. If a piece of the stem is examined, the pith
will be seen to be divided into disk-shaped parts with hollow spaces
between them. The smooth leaves are borne on short stems and are
about 5 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide, ovate or ovate oblong,
acute at the apex, and the margins entire. The long-stalked clusters
of whitish flowers, which appear from July to September are from 3 to
4 inches in length, the flowers numerous and borne on reddish stems.
In about two months the berries will have matured and assumed a rich
dark-purple color. These smooth and shining purple berries are
globular, flattened at both ends, and contain black seeds embedded in
a rich crimson juice. This plant belongs to the pokeweed family
(Phytolaccaceae).
a. Phytolacca Americana L. by right of priority should be accepted
but P. Decandra L. is used in conformity with the Pharmacopoeia.
[Illustration: Pokeweed (Phytolacca Decandra), Flowering and
Fruiting Branch.]
Description of Root--Pokeweed has a very thick, long, fleshy root,
conical in shape and branches very much resembling that of
horseradish and poisonous. In commerce it usually occurs in
transverse or lengthwise slices, the outside a yellowish brown and
finely wrinkled lengthwise and thickly encircled with lighter colored
ridges. It breaks with a fibrous fracture and is yellowish gray
within. The transverse slices show many concentric rings. There is a
slight odor and the taste is sweetish and acrid. The root when
powdered causes sneezing.
[Illustration: Pokeweek Root.]
Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of the Pokeweed, which is
official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, is collected in the
latter part of autumn, thoroughly cleaned, cut into a transverse or
lengthwise slices, and carefully dried. It brings from 2 1/2 to 4
cents a pound.
The root is used for its alterative properties in treating various
diseases of the skin and blood, and in certain cases in relieving
pain and allaying inflammation. It also acts upon the bowels and
causes vomiting.
The berries when fully matured are also used in medicine.
The young and tender shoots of the pokeweed are eaten in spring, like
asparagus, but bad results may follow if they are not thoroughly
cooked or if they are cut too close to the root.