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Yellowroot
Xanthorhiza simplicissima
34.18, -84.75
Field Notes
Description:
Stems 20-70 cm, 3-6mm diam.; bark smooth, ringed with leaf scars, inner bark yellow. Leaves clustered near stem apex, to 18cm; leaflets 3-5, 2.5-10 × 2-8 cm, sessile to short-petiolulate. Inflorescences broad-paniculate, arising from cluster of leaves, 6-21 cm, short-pilose; pedicel 2-5 mm. Flowers: sepals spreading, acuminate; petals with nectary transversely oblong, 2-lobed. Follicles yellowish brown, glossy, somewhat inflated, 3-4 mm, distally ciliate. 2 n =36.
The genus name as well as the common name refer to the plant's yellow roots (xantho- meaning "yellow" and rhiza meaning "root"), which was used to produce a yellow dye by Native Americans. The species name refers to the simple (not branched) root.
Habitat:
It is native to the eastern United States from Maine south to northern Florida and west to Ohio and eastern Texas.
Flowering spring-summer (Apr-May). Shaded stream banks, moist woods, thickets, and rocky ledges; 0-1200 m; Ala., Fla., Ga., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Miss., N.H., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, S.C., Tenn., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va.
Notes:
Spotted growing in stream bed on West Loop at Pine Mountain Recreation Area (Cartersville, GA)
Add'l ref:
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220014377
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