ACONITUM RACEMOSUM, HERB CRISTOPHER, or BANE-BERRIES; a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the polyandria class of plants, of which there are four
Species. 1. The spicata, or common herb-christopher, is a native in several parts of Britain. It grows to the height of about two feet and a half; the footstalks of the leaves arise from the root; these divide into three smaller foot-stalks, each of which are again divided into three, and these have each three lobes; so that each leaf is composed of 27 lobes or smaller leaves. The flowers grow in racemes spikes, and are of a pure white; they grow upon a slender, jointed, and furrowed stem; appear in May; and are succeeded by blackish, pulpy berries, about the size of peas, which ripen in the autumn. This plant is a powerful repel- lent, and the root has been used internally in some nervous cases, but must be administered with caution. The berries are highly poisonous. It is said toads resort to this plant, on account of its fetid smell. Sheep and goats eat it; cows, horses, and swine, refuse it.
2. The alba, or American herb-christopher, is a native of North America. The leaves of this species are somewhat like the former, but not so deeply indented in the edges. The flowers grow in a more compact spike, and the berries are very white and transparent when ripe; the roots are composed of thick knobs. This species has been used as an emetic, and sometimes called peppercornia.
3. The racemosa, or American black or wild snakeroot, is likewise a native of North America. It has large compound leaves, rising immediately from the root, and branched after the same manner as the first, which grow more than two feet high. The flower-stem rises to the height of four or five feet; and carries a long spike of white flowers reflexed at the top. These appear in June or the beginning of July, but the seeds do not come to maturity in Britain.—The root of this plant is greatly used by physicians in North America, in many disorders; and is supposed to be an antidote against poison, or the biting of a rattlesnake.
4. The cimicifuga, is a native of Siberia; the leaves resemble those of the feathered cumbine; the stalks rise little more than a foot high, supporting panicles of white flowers, which appear in May. This species is rare in Britain.
Culture. The first species hath a perennial root, but the stalks annually decay. It may be propagated either by seeds, or parting the roots, which should be transplanted in autumn. The seeds should be sown soon after they are ripe, or they will lie a whole year in the ground before they vegetate. They should be sown in a shady border; and as all the plants do not come up at the same time, the border should not be disturbed till the following autumn, when they should be transplanted into a shady border, where they may be allowed to remain and flower.—The second species may be propagated in the same manner; only the plants should be allowed three feet every way, an account of their wide-spreading leaves. This species delights in a light moist soil, and a shady situation.—The third is usually propagated by seeds sent annually from North America; it thrives in the same kind of soil as the former; and is very hardy, requiring no other culture than the common flowering shrubs. The plants should not be often removed, for that will prevent their flowering strongly.—The fourth requires a moist loamy soil, and shady situation. It may be propagated in the same manner as the others.