About Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michx.
A single stalk growing from the ground produces one large, three-branched leaf. A yellow-flowered inflorescence emerges from this structure, which later develops into bluish berries covered with a glaucous, waxy bloom. These berries look somewhat similar to sloes. The plant's bluish-green leaflets are three-lobed, with smooth (entire) margins at the base and serrated margins at the tip. This species grows in hardwood forests, and favors moist coves and hillsides, typically in shady areas with rich soil. It is native to eastern North America, ranging from Manitoba and Oklahoma eastward to the Atlantic Ocean. It is pollinated early in the growing season by certain bee species, which are attracted to nectar glands located on the plant's petals. When used in high doses as an abortifacient, it can cause symptoms similar to nicotine poisoning. These symptoms include, but are not limited to, nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness, muscle fasciculations, tachycardia, tachypnea, hypertension, seizure, and respiratory failure. Caulophyllum thalictroides has been used as a medicinal herb by American Indians. Many Native American tribes, and later European herbologists and midwives, used this herb combined with other herbs and fluids for abortive and contraceptive purposes. Its seeds have also been reported to be used as a coffee substitute.
