Also snake root, snakeroot. [f. SNAKE sb.]
1. The root or rhizome of one or other of several American plants reputed to possess properties antidotal to snake-poison, esp. the dried root of Polygala Senega and Aristolochia serpentaria used largely in medicine; the medicinal preparation obtained from this.
1635. Relat. Maryland, iii. 17. An excellent preseruative against Poyson, called by the English, the Snake roote.
1679. Moreau, in W. S. Perry, Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch., I. 30. I make bold to send a small quantity of snake root, the best sudorific … and counter poison that nature … can afford.
1703. Dampier, Voy., III. I. 72. Drugs of several sorts, viz. Sassafras, Snake-Root, &c.
1783. Med. Comment., I. 143. He was ordered to take a decoction of bark and snakeroot.
1822–7. Good, Study Med. (1829), I. 675. Bark, valerian, snake-root, conium, and the various preparations of the hop.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1067/2.
b. One or other of these plants.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 26. Snake-Root … is called by some Dittany, by others Contrayerva of Virginia.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl. App., Snake-root, aristolochia,… a genus of plants, otherwise called birthwort.
1832. Griffith, trans. Cuvier, XIV. 60. The spathes of the snake-root … are often covered or filled with sylphs.
1846. Lindley, Veg. Kingd., 378. Of these the most celebrated is a North American herb called Snake-root, Polygala senega.
1861. G. F. Berkeley, Sportsm. W. Prairies, xi. 173. Only a flower here and there to be seen [on the prairie], consisting of the snake-root and the wild sun-flower.
c. Used with specific names, as American, black, button, Canada or Canadian, Red River, Samson’s, Seneca, Texan, white, wild snake-root; Virginia(n) snake-root, the root of Polygala Senega or Aristolochia serpentaria, the medicinal preparation made from this, or either of the plants producing it.
1857. Henfrey, Bot., 257. Polygala Senega, the *American Snake-root.
1755. Johnson, s.v. Ducksfoot, *Black snake-root, or Mayapple.
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 315. Root, Snake, black or wild, of America, Actæa.
1812. New Botanic Garden, I. 19. [Actæa Racemosa] is a native of North America, where it is often distinguished by the title of Black Snake-root.
1858. R. Hogg, Veg. Kingd., 380. Sanicula marilandica, called in the United States Black Snake-root.
1845–50. Mrs. Lincoln, Lect. Bot., App. 101. Eryngium aquaticum (*button snake-root).
1856. A. Gray, Man. Bot., 151. E. yuccæfolium (Rattlesnake Master, Button Snakeroot). Ibid., 184. Liatris. Button Snakeroot.
1849. J. H. Balfour, Man. Bot., 491. Asarum canadense, Wild Ginger, or *Canada Snake-root, is used as a spice in Canada.
1887. Encycl. Brit., XXII. 189. The rhizome of Asarum canadense, L., passes under the name of Canadian Snake-root. Ibid. The root of Aristolochia reticulata,… which is known in the United States as *Red River or Texan Snake-root.
1892. F. P. Foster, Med. Dict., IV. 2660. Psoralea eglandulosa. *Samson’s snakeroot.
1845–50. Mrs. Lincoln, Lect. Bot., 180. We find here Polygala, one species of which is called *Seneca snake-root.
1694. Salmon, Bate’s Dispens. (1713). 258/2. The Sudorifick Tincture, or Tincture of *Virginia Snake-root.
1720. Quincy, trans. Hodges’ Loimologia, 165. Virginian Snake Root, when fresh and fragrant, is the most efficacious.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 481. Take of Virginian snake-root in powder, half a drachm.
1841. Penny Cycl., XXI. 448/1. A deficiency of saliva … is removed by the Virginian snake-root.
1856. A. Gray, Man. Bot., 188. Eupatorium ageratoides (*White Snake-root).
2. One or other of several plants so called from a fancied resemblance to a snake in some respect (see quots.).
1856. Delamer, Fl. Garden (1860), 55. The Snake-root, A[rum] dracunculus, or Dragon Arum, is often found in old flower-gardens, and deserves a place in modern ones.
1858. A. Irvine, Handbk. Brit. Plants, Index 832. Snake-root,… Polygonum Bistorta.
1895. Oliver, trans. Kerner’s Nat. Hist. Plants, I. 708. The creeping stems of the Soake-root (Calla palustris).
