DRY SOIL PLANTS.
Stillingia.
Stillingia Sylvatica L.
Pharmacopoeial Name--Stillingia.
Other Common Names--Queen's-delight, queen's-root, silverleaf,
nettle-potato.
Habitat and Range--This plant is found in dry, sandy soil and in pine
barrens from Maryland to Florida west to Kansas and Texas.
Description of Plant--Like most of the other members of the spurge
family (Euphorbiaceae), stillingia also contains a milky juice. This
indigenous, herbaceous perennial is about 1 to 3 feet in height,
bright green and somewhat fleshy, with crowded leaves of a somewhat
leathery texture. The leaves are practically stemless and vary
greatly in form, from lance shaped, oblong, to oval and elliptical,
round toothed or saw toothed. The pale yellow flowers, which appear
from April to October, are borne in a dense terminal spike and
consist of two kinds, male and female, the male flowers arranged in
dense clusters around the upper part of the stalk and the female
flowers occurring at the base of the spike. The seeds are contained
in a roundish 3-lobed capsule.
Description of Root--Stillingia consists of somewhat cylindrical or
slenderly spindle shaped roots from 6 inches to a foot in length,
slightly branched, the yellowish white, porous wood covered with a
rather thick, reddish brown, wrinkled bark, the whole breaking with a
fibrous fracture. As found in commerce, stillingia is usually in
short transverse sections, the ends of the sections pinkish and fuzzy
with numerous fine, silky bast fibres, and the bark showing scattered
yellowish brown resin cells and milk ducts. It has a peculiar
unpleasant odor, and a bitter, acrid and pungent taste.
Collection, Prices and Uses--Stillingia root is collected in late
autumn or early in spring, usually cut into short, transverse
sections and dried. The price ranges from 3 to 5 cents a pound.
This root, which is official in the United States Pharmacopoeia, has
been a popular drug in the South for more than a century and is
employed principally as an alterative.
American Colombo.
Frasera Carolinensis Walt.
Synonym--Frasera walteri Michx.
Other Common Names--Frasera, meadowpride, pyramid-flower,
pyramid-plant, Indian lettuce, yellow gentian, ground-century.
Habit and Range American Colombo occurs in dry soil from the western
part of New York to Wisconsin, south to Georgia and Kentucky.
Description of Plant--During the first and second year of the growth
of this plant only the root leaves are produced These are generally
somewhat rounded at the summit, narrowed toward the base, and larger
than the stem leaves, which develop in the third year. The leaves are
deep green and produced mostly in whorls of four, the stem leaves
being 3 to 6 inches in length and oblong or lance shaped. In the
third year the stem is developed and the flowers are produced from
June to August. The stem is stout, erect, cylindrical, and 3 to 8
feet in height. The flowers of American Colombo are borne in large
terminal, handsome pyramidal clusters, sometimes 2 feet in length,
and are greenish yellow or yellowish white, dotted with brown purple.
They are slender stemmed, about 1 inch across, with a wheel shaped,
4-parted corolla The seeds are contained in a much compressed
capsule. American Colombo is an indigenous perennial and belongs to
the gentian family (Gentianaceae.)
Description of Root--The root is long, horizontal, spindle shaped,
yellow, and wrinkled. In the fresh state it is fleshy and quite
heavy. The American Colombo root of commerce, formerly in transverse
slices, now generally occurs in lengthwise slices. The outside is
yellowish or pale orange and the inside spongy and pale yellow. The
taste is bitter. American Colombo root resembles the official gentian
root in taste and odor, and the uses are also similar.
[Illustration: American Colombo (Frasera Carolinensis), Leaves,
Flowers and Seed Pods.]
Collection, Prices and Uses--The proper time for collecting American
Colombo root is in the autumn of the second year or in March or April
of the third year. It is generally cut into lengthwise slices before
drying. The price of American Colombo root ranges from 3 to 5 cents a
pound.
The dried root, which was official in the United States Pharmacopoeia
from 1820 to 1880, is used as a simple tonic. In the fresh state the
root possesses emetic and cathartic properties.
Couch-Grass.
Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv.
Synonym--Triticum repens L.
Pharmacopoeial Name--Triticum.
Other Common Names--Dog-grass, quick-grass, quack-grass,
quitch-grass, quake-grass, scutch-grass, twitch-grass, witch-grass,
wheat-grass, creeping wheat-grass, devil's grass, durfa-grass,
Durfee-grass, Dutch-grass, Fin's-grass, Chandler's-grass.
Habitat and Range--Like many of our weeds, couch-grass was introduced
from Europe, and is now one of the worst pests the farmer has to
contend with, taking possession of the cultivated ground and crowding
out valuable crops. It occurs most abundantly from Maine to Maryland,
westward to Minnesota and Minnesota, and is spreading on farms on the
Pacific slope, but is rather sparingly distributed in the South.
[Illustration: Couch-Grass (Agrophyron Repens).]
Description of Plant--Couch-grass is rather coarse, 1 to 3 feet high,
and when in flower very much resemble rye or beardless wheat. Several
round, smooth, hollow stems, thickened at the joints, are produced
from the long, creeping, jointed rootstock. The stems bear 5 to 7
leaves from 3 to 12 inches long, rough on the upper surface and
smooth beneath, while the long, cleft leaf sheaths are smooth. The
solitary terminal flowering heads or spikes are compressed, and
consist of two rows of spikelets on a wavy and flattened axis. These
heads are produced from July to September. Couch Grass belongs to the
grass family (Poaceae.)
Description of Rootstock--The pale yellow, smooth rootstock is long,
tough and jointed, creeping along underneath the ground, and pushing
in every direction. As found in the stores, it consists of short,
angular pieces, from one eighth to one-fourth of an inch long, of a
shining straw color, and hollow. These pieces are odorless, but have
a somewhat sweetish taste.
Collection, Prices and Uses--Couch-Grass, which is official in the
United States Pharmacopoeia, should be collected in spring, carefully
cleaned, and the rootlets removed. The rootstock (not rootlets) is
then cut into short pieces about two-fifths of an inch in length, for
which purpose an ordinary feed-cutting machine may be used, and
thoroughly dried.
Couch-Grass is usually destroyed by plowing up and burn ing, for if
any of the joints are permitted to remain in the soil new plants will
be produced. But, instead of burning, the rootstocks may be saved and
prepared for the drug market in the manner above stated. The prices
range from 3 to 5 cents a pound. At present Couch-Grass is collected
chiefly in Europe.
A fluid extract is prepared from Couch-Grass, which is used in
affections of the kidney and bladder.
Echinacea.
Brauneria Angustifolia (DC) Heller.
Synonym--Echinacea angustifolia DC.
Other Common Names--Pale-purple coneflower, Sampson-root, niggerhead
(in Kansas.)
Habitat and Range--Echinacea is found in scattered patches in rich
prairie soil or sandy soil from Alabama to Texas and northwestward,
being most abundant in Kansas and Nebraska. Tho not growing wild in
the Eastern States, It has succeeded well under cultivation in the
testing gardens of the Department of Agriculture at Washington, D. C.
[Illustration: Echinacea (Brauneria Angustifolia).]
Description of Plant--This native herbaceous perennial, belonging to
the aster family (Asteraceae), grows to a height of from 2 to 3 feet.
It sends up a rather stout bristly-hairy stem, bearing thick
rough-hairy leaves, which are broadly lance shaped or linear lance
shaped, entire, 3 to 8 inches long, narrowed at each end, and
strongly three nerved. The lower leaves have slender stems, but as
they approach the top of the plant the stems become shorter and some
of the upper leaves are stemless.
The flower heads appearing from July to October, are very pretty, and
the plant would do well as an ornamental in gardens. The flowers
remain on the plant for a long time, and the color varies from
whitish rose to pale purple. The head consists of ray flowers and
disk flowers, the former constituting the "petals" surrounding the
disk, and the disk itself being composed of small, tubular, greenish
yellow flowers. When the flowers first appear the disk is flattened
or really concave, but as the flowering progresses it becomes conical
in shape. The brown fruiting heads are conical, chaffy, stiff and
wiry.
Description of Root--Echinacea has a thick, blackish root, which in
commerce occurs in cylindrical pieces of varying length and
thickness. The dried root is grayish brown on the outside, the bark
wrinkled lengthwise and sometimes spirally twisted. It breaks with a
short, weak fracture, showing yellow or greenish yellow wood edges,
which give the impression that the wood is decayed.
The odor is scarcely perceptible and the taste is mildly aromatic,
afterwards becoming acrid and inducing a flow of saliva.
Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of Echinacea is collected in
autumn and brings from 20 to 30 cents a pound. It is said that
Echinacea varies greatly in quality due chiefly to the locality in
which it grows. According to J. U. Lloyd, the best quality comes from
the prairie lands of Nebraska and that from marshy places is
inferior.
Echinacea is said to be an alterative and to promote perspiration and
induce a flow of saliva. The Indians used the freshly scraped roots
for the cure of snake bites.
Aletris.
Aletris Farinosa L.
Other Common Names--Stargrass, blazingstar, mealy starwort, starwort,
unicorn-root, true unicorn-root, unicorn-plant, unicorn's-horn,
colic-root, devil's-bit, ague-grass, ague-root, aloe-root, crow-corn,
huskwort.
A glance at these common names will show many that have been applied
to other plants, especially to Chamaelirium, with which Aletris is so
much confused. In order to guard against this confusion as much as
possible, it is best not to use the common names of this plant at
all, referring to it only by its generic name, Aletris.
[Illustration: Aletris (Aletris Farinosa).]
Habitat and Range--Aletris occurs in dry, generally sandy soil, from
Maine to Minnesota, Florida and Tennessee.
Description of Plant--As stated under Chamaelirium, this plant is
often confused with the former by collectors and others, although
there seems to be no good reason why this should be so. The plants do
not resemble each other except in habit of growth, and the trouble
undoubtedly arose from a confusion of the somewhat similar common
names of the plants, as, for instance, "stargrass" and "starwort."
Aletris may be at once distinguished by the grasslike leaves, which
spread out on the ground in the form of a star, and by the slender
spikes of rough, mealy flowers.
This native perennial, belonging to the lily family (Liliaceae), is
an erect, slender herb, 1 1/2 to 3 feet tall, with basal leaves only.
These leaves are grasslike, from 2 to 6 inches long, and have a
yellowish green or willow-green color. As already stated, they
surround the base of the stem in the form of a star. Instead of stem
leaves, there are very small, leaflike bracts placed at some distance
apart on the stem. From May to July the erect flowering spike, from 4
to 12 inches long, is produced, bearing white, urn-shaped flowers,
sometimes tinged with yellow at the apex, and having a rough,
wrinkled and mealy appearance. The seed capsule is ovoid, opening by
three halves, and containing many seeds. When the flowers in the
spike are still in bud, there is a suggestion of resemblance to the
female spike of Chamaelirium with its fruit half formed.
Several other species are recognized by botanists, namely, Aletris
Aurea Walt., A. lutea Small, and A. obovata Nash, but aside from the
flowers, which in aurea and lutea are yellow, and slight variations
in form, such as a more contracted perianth, the differences are not
so pronounced that the plants would require a detailed description
here. They have undoubtedly been collected with Aletris farinosa for
years, and are sufficiently like it to be readily recognized.
Description of Rootstock--Not only have the plants of Aletris and
Chamaelirium been confused, but the rootstocks as well. There is,
however, no resemblance between them.
Aletris has a horizontal rootstock from one-half to 1 1/2 inches in
length, rough and scaly, and almost completely hidden by the fibrous
roots and remains of the basal leaves. Upon close examination the
scars of former leaf stems may be seen along the upper surface. The
rootlets are from 2 to 10 inches in length, those of recent growth
whitish and covered with several layers of epidermis which gradually
peel off, and the older rootlets of the rootstock showing this
epidermis already scaled off, leaving only the hard, brown, woody
center. The rootstock in commerce almost invariably shows at one end
a tuft of the remains of the basal leaves, which do not lose their
green color. It is grayish brown outside, whitish within, and breaks
with a mealy fracture. It has no odor, and a starchy taste, followed
by some acridity, but no bitterness.
Collection, Prices and Uses--Aletris should be collected in autumn,
and there is no reason why collectors should make the common mistake
of confusing Aletris with Chamaelirium. By comparing the description
of Aletris with that of Chamaelirium, it will be seen that there is
scarcely any resemblance. Aletris ranges from 30 to 40 cents a pound.
As indicated under Chamaelirium, the medicinal properties have also
been considered the same in both plants, but Aletris is now regarded
of value chiefly in digestive troubles. Aletris was official in the
United States Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1870.
Wild Indigo.
Baptisia Tinctoria (L.) R. Br.
Other Common Names--Baptisia, indigo-weed, yellow indigo, American
indigo, yellow broom, indigo-broom, clover-broom, broom-clover,
horsefly-weed, shoofly, rattlebush.
Habitat and Range--This native herb grows on dry, poor land, and is
found from Maine to Minnesota, south to Florida and Louisiana.
Description of Plant--Many who have been brought up in the country
will recognize in the wild indigo the plant so frequently used by
farmers, especially in Virginia and Maryland, to keep flies away from
horses, bunches of it being fastened to the harness for this purpose.
[Illustration: Wild Indigo (Baptisia Tinctoris) Branch Showing
Flowers and Seed Pods.]
Wild Indigo grows about 2 to 3 feet in height and the clover-like
blossoms and leaves will show at once that it belongs to the same
family as the common clover, namely, the pea family (Fabaceae). It is
an erect, much-branched, very leafy plant of compact growth, the
3-leaved, bluish green foliage somewhat resembling clover leaves. The
flowers, as already stated, are like common clover flowers--that is,
not like clover heads, but the single flowers composing these; they
are bright yellow, about one-half inch in length and are produced in
numerous clusters which appear from June to September. The seed pods,
on stalks longer than the calyx, are nearly globular or ovoid and are
tipped with an awl shaped style.
Another species, said to possess properties similar to those of
baptisia tinctoria and substituted for it, is B. alba R. Br., called
the white wild indigo. This plant has white flowers and is found in
the Southern States and on the plains of the Western States.
Description of Root--Wild Indigo has a thick, knotty crown or head,
with several stem scars, and a round, fleshy root, sending out
cylindrical branches and rootlets almost 2 feet in length. The white
woody interior is covered with a thick, dark brown bark, rather scaly
or dotted with small, wart-like excrescences. The root breaks with a
tough, fibrous fracture. There is a scarcely perceptible odor and the
taste, which resides chiefly in the bark, is nauseous, bitter and
acrid.
Collection, Prices and Uses--The root of Wild Indigo is collected in
autumn, and brings from 4 to 8 cents a pound.
Large doses of Wild Indigo are emetic and cathartic and may prove
dangerous. It also has stimulant, astringent and antiseptic
properties, and is used as a local application to sores, ulcers, etc.
The herb is sometimes employed like the root and the entire plant was
official from 1830 to 1840.
In some sections the young, tender shoots are used for greens, like
those of pokeweed, but great care must be exercised to gather them
before they are too far advanced in growth, as otherwise bad results
will follow.
A blue coloring matter has been prepared from the plant and used as a
substitute for indigo, to which, however, it is very much inferior.
Pleurisy-Root.
Asclepias Tuberosa L.
Pharmacopoeial Name--Asclepias.
Other Common Names--Butterfly weed, Canada-root, Indian-posy,
orange-root, orange swallowwort, tuberroot, whiteroot, windroot,
yellow or orange milkweed.
Habitat and Range--Pleurisy-Root flourishes in the open or in the
pine woods, in dry, sandy or gravelly soil, usually along the banks
of streams. Its range extends from Ontario and Maine to Minnesota,
south to Florida, Texas and Arizona, but it is found in greatest
abundance in the South.
Description of Plant--This is a very showy and ornamental perennial
plant, indigenous to this country, and belonging to the milkweed
family (Asclepiadaceae); it is erect and rather stiff in habit, but
with brilliant heads of bright orange-colored flowers that attract
attention from afar.
The stems are rather stout, erect, hairy, about 1 to 2 feet in
height, sometimes branched near the top, and bearing a thick growth
of leaves. These are either stemless or borne on short stems, are
somewhat rough to the touch, 2 to 6 inches long, lance shaped or
oblong, the apex either sharp pointed or blunt, with a narrow,
rounded or heart shaped base. The flower heads, borne at the ends of
the stem and branches, consist of numerous, oddly shaped orange
colored flowers. The corolla is composed of five segments, which are
reflexed or turned back and the crown has five erect or spreading
"hoods," within each of which is a slender incurved horn. The plant
is in flower for some time, usually from June to September, followed
late in the fall by pods, which are from 4 to 5 inches long, green,
tinged with red, finely hairy on the outside, and containing the
seeds with their long, silky hairs. Unlike the other milkweeds, the
Pleurisy Root contains little or no milky juice.
Description of Root--The root of this plant is large, white and
fleshy, spindle shaped, branching. As found in commerce it consists
of lengthwise or crosswise pieces from 1 to 6 inches in length and
about three-fourths of an inch in thickness. It is wrinkled
lengthwise and also transversely and has a knotty head. The thin bark
is orange brown and the wood yellowish, with white rays. It has no
odor and a somewhat bitter, acrid taste.
[Illustration: Pleurisy-Root (Asclepias Tuberosa).]
Collection, Prices and Uses--The root, which is usually found rather
deep in the soil, is collected in autumn, cut into transverse or
lengthwise slices and dried. The price ranges from 6 to 10 cents a
pound.
Pleurisy-Root was much esteemed by the Indians, has long been used in
domestic practice, and is official in the United States
Pharmacopoeia. It is used in disordered digestion and in affections
of the lungs, in the last-named instance to promote expectoration,
relieve pains in the chest, and induce easier breathing. It is also
useful in producing perspiration.
Other Species--Besides the official Pleurisy-Root there are two other
species of Asclepias which are employed to some extent for the same
purposes, namely, the common milkweed and the swamp-milkweed.
The common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) is a perennial, native in
fields and waste places from Canada to North Carolina and Kansas. It
has a stout, usually simple stem 3 to 5 feet in height and oblong or
oval leaves, smooth on the upper surface and densely hairy beneath.
The flowers, similar in form to those of Asclepias tuberosa, are
pinkish purple and appear from June to August, followed by erect pods
3 to 5 inches long, woolly with matted hair and covered with prickles
and borne on recurved stems. The plant contains an abundance of milky
juice.
The root of the common milkweed is from 1 to 6 feet long, cylindrical
and finely wrinkled. The short branches and scars left by former
stems give the root a round, knotty appearance. The bark is thick,
grayish brown and the inside white, the root breaking with a short,
splintery fracture. Common milkweed root has a very bitter taste, but
no odor.
It is collected in autumn and cut into transverse slices before
drying. Common milkweed ranges from 6 to 8 cents a pound.
Swamp-milkweed (Asclepias incarnata L.) is a native perennial herb
found in swamps from Canada to Tennessee and Kansas. The slender
stem, leafy to the top, is 1 to 2 feet in height, branched above, the
leaves lance shaped or oblong lance shaped. The flowers, also similar
to those A tuberosa, appear from July to September, and are flesh
colored or rose colored. The pods are 2 to 3 1/2 inches long, erect,
and very sparingly hairy.
The root of the swamp-milkweed, which is also collected in autumn, is
not quite an inch in length, hard and knotty, with several light
brown rootlets. The tough white wood, which has a thick, central
pith, is covered with a thin, yellowish brown bark. It is practically
without odor, and the taste, sweetish at first, finally becomes
bitter. This root brings about 3 cents a pound.