Yellow-Root, a common name applied in different parts of the country to different plants; the most important of these, liydrastis, is described elsewhere under one of its several common names. (See Puccoon.) Another plant of the same family is xa'nthoriza apiifolia, the common name being a translation of the generic (Gr. eavóc, yellow, and, a root); it is sometimes called yellow-wood, a name which properly belongs to cladrastis, a large tree (see Virgilia), and also shrub yellow-root. The genus belongs to the crowfoot family (ranunculaceoe), and is remarkable as being the only member of the family within the United States that forms an erect shrub; there is but one species, found sparingly in New York, and more abundantly along the mountains from Pennsylvania southward. It has long, creeping, yellow roots and rootstocks, sending up sparingly branched woody stems, seldom over 2 ft. high; the pinnately compound leaves have 3 to 7 ovate-toothed leaflets; the polygamous flowers appear in early spring from terminal buds, in compound drooping racemes, and are brownish purple; the 5 to 15 pistils ripen into one-seeded pods. The bright yellow roots were used by the Indians as a dye; they contain berberine.

It is intensely bitter, and is used as a tonic in the same manner as columbo, quassia, and similar bitter medicines. - The plant usually known as gold-thread (see Coptis) is in some localities called yellow-root, as are also celastrus (see Waxwork) and the twin-leaf, Jeffersonia dipliylla (see Jeffersonia).