1. Podophyllum peltatum L. (mayapple)

Pl. 302 f, g; Map 1273

Plants perennial herbs, 20–50 cm tall, with long creeping branched rhizomes 4–7 mm thick. Aerial stems without spines. Vegetative portions with one leaf attached directly near the tip of the rhizome, fertile portions with 2(3) leaves attached at the tip of an aerial stem. Leaves simple, the blade palmately veined, often perfoliate, 18–35 cm in diameter, deeply 5–9-lobed, the lobes oblanceolate, sometimes further 2-lobed, the margins toothed, the upper surface green, the lower surface glaucous. Flowers solitary, appearing from the angle between the leaves, without bracts. Sepals 6, falling as the flowers open, green (rarely pink). Petals 6–9, 15–33 mm long, white (rarely pink), without nectaries. Stamens 12–18, the anthers attached at the base, opening by longitudinal slits. Fruits ellipsoid berries, 25–45 mm long, 20–36 mm in diameter, yellow (rarely orange or purple). Seeds enclosed in a yellow (rarely purple) aril. 2n=12. Late March–June.

Common throughout the state (southern Quebec south to northern Florida, west to eastern Nebraska and eastern Texas). Mesic upland forests, bottomland forests, ledges of bluffs; also pastures, roadsides, and railroads.

The ripe berries (mayapples) of P. peltatum are edible and were an important food for Native Americans. They are picked by native-food enthusiasts to be eaten raw or prepared into beverages, jellies, and preserves. However, all other parts of the plant are poisonous, and handling of the rootstocks also causes dermatitis in some individuals. Etoposide, a semisynthetic derivative of a lignan isolated from P. peltatum, is used as a chemotherapy agent in treating several types of cancer. Rare plants with pink sepals and petals and strong purple pigmentation of the leaves, stems, and rhizomes have been called f. deamii Raymond.