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Eryngium aquaticum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rattlesnakemaster
Eryngium aquaticum[1]

Apparently Secure  (NatureServe)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Eryngium
Species:
E. aquaticum
Binomial name
Eryngium aquaticum
Synonyms[3]
  • 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.

Eryngium aquaticum is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae known by the common name rattlesnakemaster,[4] marsh rattlesnake master,[2] corn-snakeroot, bitter snakeroot, and marsh eryngo.[5] This plant is native to eastern North America.[2]

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.[4]

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

[edit]
  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. ^ a b c Eryngium aquaticum. NatureServe.
  3. ^ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 1 October 2015
  4. ^ a b Eryngium aquaticum. USDA Plants Profile.
  5. ^ a b c d e Eryngium aquaticum. USDA NRCS Plant Guide.
  6. ^ a b Eryngium aquaticum. University of Michigan Ethnobotany.
  7. ^ Eryngium aquaticum. Missouri Botanical Garden.