The plant has a perennial, thick and fleshy rhizome, its upper portion tunicated, its lower half solid, and sending forth a multitude of large, whitish roots. The stem is from 3 to 5 feet high, roundish, solid, striated, pubescent throughout the greater part of its length, and closely invested with the sheathing bases of leaves. The lower leaves are large, from 6 to 12 inches long, half as wide, oval, acuminate, pubescent, strongly plaited and nerved, the lower part of their edges meeting round the stem; the upper leaves are gradually narrower; the uppermost, or bracts, are linear and lanceolate; all alternate. The flowers are numerous, green, in compound racemes axillary from the upper leaves, and terminal; the whole forming a sort of panicle. Peduncles roundish and downy. Bracts are boat-shaped, acuminate, and downy. Pedicels many times shorter than the bracts. The perianth is divided into 6 green, oval, acute, nerved segments, of which the alternate ones are longest; all the segments are contracted at the base into a sort of claw with a thickened or cartilaginous edge. The stamens 6, with recurved filaments and roundish 2-lobed anthers. Carpels 3, cohering, with acute, recurved styles as long as the stamens. A part of the flowers are barren, and have only the rudiments of styles, so that the plant is strictly polygamous. The seed-vessel is composed of 3 capsules, united together, separating at top and opening on their inner side. Seeds flat, winged, and imbricated.

Analgesic, diaphoretic, emetic, expectorant, febrifuge, narcotic and sedative (root); abortifacient, antipyretic, antispasmodic, arteriosedative, cardiosedative, decongestant, diuretic, hepatotonic, hypotensive, insecticide, nephrotonic, sedative, tranquilizer.

The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy
King's American Dispensatory
Plants for a Future

Acetic acid (rhizome); cevadine, germine, germidine, veratramine, veratrine (root); jervine (plant)

Cures puerperal fever, phthisis pulmonalis, acute rheumatism, gastric irritation, colic, tetanus, acute gonorrhea, active cerebral engorgement, exophthalmic goiter with tachycardia, aneurism, acute cases of pneumonia, peritonitis, threatened apoplexy, chronic coughs, constipation, for bruises, sprains, fractures, to treat aches and pains