Podophyllum peltatum: A Morphological Study

1899 Botanical Gazette  
Podop/yllum pelatum L., the A napodop/zy/loi canadense of Tournefort,I is a common inhabitant of the rich woods in the eastern parts of North America, ranging from Ontario to Florida and eastern Texas. On account of its social occurrence and very conspicuous foliage it is one of the most characteristic sylvan types of American vegetation. Outside of North America it has but three congeners: Podopizyllurn Emnodi (Himalayas), P. versipelle (China), and P.lpeian't/ltum (China), which are the only
more » ... pecies recognized by botanists, although Rafinesque described two others: P. montanuin from the Alleghany mountains, and P. callicarpurn from Louisiana and Texas. Judging from the description the last of these appears to be a good species, but has evidently not been collected by any one but Rafinesque. While the genus is commonly regarded as a member of the Berberidee it exhibits but very few characters common to the principal representatives of this order. It appears altogether as I The derivation of Podophyllum, erroneously given in the Synohlical faZora of ANor//z Amnerica, p. 72, as "probably in reference to the very large footstock (!) of the radical leaves," depends evidently upon the abbreviation of its former name "Anapodophyllon " by Linnaeus. It is as stated by Tournefort " quasi planta cujus folia ad pedem Anatis accedunt," and the leaf-blade does show some resemblance to the web-foot of a duck. The reason why Linnaeus changed the name maybe found in his C0-iica bolanica, where similar generic names are abbreviated by " detruncatio capitis " Oreoselinum Selinum; Melocactus = Cactus; Anapodophyllum =Podo-p1yl/l/ur; I-ydroceratophyllum =iCeratophyllum. 419
doi:10.1086/327853 fatcat:dj32udnfarelpgd6zl6qhq6s3u