Eryngium aquaticum

Eryngium aquaticum is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name rattlesnakemaster,[3] marsh rattlesnake master,[4] corn-snakeroot, bitter snakeroot, and marsh eryngo.[5] This plant is native to eastern North America.[4]

Rattlesnakemaster
Eryngium aquaticum[1]

Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Apiales
Family:
Apiaceae
Genus:
Eryngium
Species:
E. aquaticum
Binomial name
Eryngium aquaticum
Synonyms[2]
  • Eryngium aquaticum Michx. nom. illeg.
  • Eryngium floridanum J.M.Coult. & Rose
  • Eryngium foetidum Walter nom. illeg.
  • Eryngium plukenetii Elliott
  • Eryngium praealtum A.Gray
  • Eryngium virginianum Elliott
  • Eryngium virginianum Lam.

This biennial or perennial herb grows up to 2 meters tall. The ribbed, erect stem branches toward the top. There are alternately arranged leaves which are lance-shaped and toothed on the edges. The basal leaves may be up to 90 centimeters long by 9 wide. The inflorescence contains white to blue flower heads with spiny, blue-tinged bracts.[5]

In the wild this plant grows in wet soils, such as those by bogs, marshes, and ditches. It tolerates saturated soils and periodic flooding.[5]

This plant had a number of medicinal uses for Native American groups. The Cherokee people used it for nausea.[6] The Choctaw people used it as a remedy for snakebite and gonorrhea, and the Delaware people used it for intestinal worms.[6] Many groups made it into tea to treat gastrointestinal complaints. The Koasati attributed magical powers to the plant.[3]

This plant is used in flower arranging and as an ornamental garden plant.[5] However, most plants sold under the name E. aquaticum are actually specimens of Eryngium yuccifolium.[5][7]

References
  1. Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 622. Courtesy of Kentucky Native Plant Society. Scanned by Omnitek Inc.
  2. The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 1 October 2015
  3. Eryngium aquaticum. USDA Plants Profile.
  4. Eryngium aquaticum. NatureServe.
  5. Eryngium aquaticum. USDA NRCS Plant Guide.
  6. Eryngium aquaticum. University of Michigan Ethnobotany.
  7. Eryngium aquaticum. Missouri Botanical Garden.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.