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Podophyllum (from Tournefort's anapodophyllum, duck's-foot-leaf; from a fancied resemblance in the foliage). Berberidaceae. May Apple. Mandrake (erroneously). Herbs common in rich woods and copses throughout the eastern United States, a colony of which is most desirable for a wild garden.
Hardy perennials herbs: sepals 6, petal-like; petals 6-9; stamens as many or twice as many as the petals; pistil 1 (rarely several): berry with many seeds, which are inclosed in fleshy arils.—Podophyllum is a genus of about 5 species,—1 American, 1 Himalayan and 3 from China.
The May apple is one of the most prominent of the native low-growing spring herbs. The "apples" are yellowish egg-shaped fruits about 2 inches long, and have a rather mawkish taste. The leaves are very distinct, being shaped like a round shield with 5 to 7 lobes. The plant has two kinds of leaves, the solitary ones, and the others in pairs. The large centrally peltate leaves have no flower underneath. The flowers are nodding white waxlike cups which spring from the fork of the stem. They have a rather unpleasant smell.
Some parts of the May apple plant are emetic and poisonous. Extract of podophyllum is common in drugstores. For the drug trade, the rhizomes are collected late in summer and dried, the supply coming mostly from the Central States.
The plants are offered by several dealers in hardy herbaceous perennials. They are of easy culture, requiring deep rich soil and partial shade. They are useful only for spring effects, however, as the foliage dies down by midsummer or before. Later-growing vigorous perennials, as Polygonatum giganteum, may be associated with a planting of May apple, to occupy the ground in the later part of the season. P. Emodii requires a moister situation, and some prepare a peaty soil for it. Propagation is by division or by seed. The mandrake of Old World history and romance, is Mandragora.
P. versipelle, Hance. A perennial herb, with sts. about 3 ft. high, 2-forked at top, each fork bearing a lobed peltate lf.: fls. pendulous, crimson, in clusters of 12-16 just under mo lvs. China. Intro, into England. B.M. 8154. F.Tracy Hubbard.
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