Name/Title
Yellowroot (Hydrastis canadensis)Entry/Object ID
2021.1.21 BScope and Content
Yellowroot (Hydrastis canadensis) plant description, framed.
Yellowroot is a perennial herb that grows in shady wooded areas of the Northeastern United States, Ohio Valley and into Missouri. Also known as Goldenseal, it has a small white flower that grows in the middle of the leaf. An inedible raspberry-like fruit appears in July. the plant grows to about one foot tall. Due to the popularity of the root as an herbal medicine, yellowroot has been over-harvested and since 1991 has been listed as an endangered species.
On May 29, 1804, just below the mouth of the Osage River in today's Missouri, Meriwether Lewis collected a sample of Yellowroot. He later wrote in his botanical report that "this plant is known in Kentucky and many other parts of this western country by the name of yellow root. It is a sovereighn remidy for a disorder common in this quarter called the soar eyes." To use the plant Lewis continued, "let the roots be geathered washe and carefully dryed in the shade; brake them in pieces of half an inch in length and put them in a bottle or viol, taking care to fill the vessell about two thirds full of the dryed root, then fill the vessell with could water, rain water is preferable; let it remain about six hours shaking it occasionally and it will be fit for use... it makes excellent mouth water, and a good outward applycation for wounds or inflamations of every kind."
Indians used Yellowroot as a dye as well as a medicine for a variety of illnesses. It contains antibiotic and anti-inflamatory properties.Context
Originally designed by the St. Joseph Museum in the fall of 2004. Titled "Botanical Wonders of the Uncharted West. The Recorded Flora of the Lewis & Clark Expedition."Collection
Lewis and ClarkLexicon
LOC Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
Botanical drawings, Expeditions & surveysArchive Items Details
Title
Yellowroot (Hydrastis canadensis)Creator
Mary L. FletcherDate(s) of Creation
2004Subjects
Plants, Watercolor paintingsParts
Count
2Parts
Watercolor of plant and descriptive label, both framed.Condition
Overall Condition
Very GoodProvenance
Notes
"Botanical Wonders of the Uncharted West" visually depicts how well Lewis followed Jefferson's instructions. In recognition of this achievement, The S. Joseph Museums, Inc. commissioned accomplished artist Mary Fletcher to create fifty (50) selected paintings of flora documented by the Corps during their Journey. These framed watercolor originals are accompanied by similarly framed labels, generated by former Head of Research Jackie Lewin, which describe the corresponding plants with appropriate quotations from the Journals. This collection makes available for study and appreciation plants that were new to Lewis and Clark, but which Native Peoples already recognized as valuable sources of food, medicine, and tools. Some of these still remain a mystery to many, but all will enjoy their beauty, their diverse uses, and their accomplished renderings.