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The leaves are light green, and grow straight upward not crowded
in one place. The flowers are orange red, and the roots have the
same form and quality as the preceding. There is also a variety
with white flowers.
511. Veratrum album, L., var. grandiflora, Jap.
BaikcisQ, Hai-no-doku ; a perennial herb of the order Meranthficeae
growing wild in moist places in mountains. The stalk is
3-4 fts. high, and its branches bear 6 petaled yellowish white
flowers.
Male and female flowers are separated on different plants,
but sometimes complete flowers are found. The roots are
poisonous, and are used to destroy flies and other injurious insects.
512. Veratrum stamineum, Max., Jap. Kobaikei,
Shishi-no-habaki ; a species of the preceding of a smaller size.
Its quality and use are the same, but its flowers do not have green
veins as the preceding.
513. Veratrum nigrum, L.\ Jap. Skuro-so, Nikko-rau;
a close ally of 511 with narrower leaves. The flowers are dark
purple, and have a disagreeable odour. The roots and young
sprouts are covered with something like chamaerops fibres, whence
the name S/uiro-so (chamaerops herb). A small sized species is
called Ao-yagi-sQ. which is the same in quality and use.
Is
514. Alisma plantago, L., Jap. Saji-omodaka ; a perennial
herb of the order PlantagineaB growing wild in swampy
places. In summer its stem grows to a height of 2-3 fts. and
is divided into several branches, bearing 3 petaled small white
purple-shaded flowers. The tuberous roots are dried and used as
medicine, but the stems and leaves are poisonous. There is another
species with narrow leaves called Hera-omodaka.
515. Arisaema prsecox, Deverise., Jap. Yuki-mochi-so ;
a bulbous herb of the order Aroideas growing wild in mountains.
The leaves are ternate, and the stem attains to a height of about
\\ fts. It bears spathaceous flowers with snow white pistils.
516. Arisaema thunbergii, Blume., Jap. Maidsuru-