Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a perennial, herbaceous
flowering plant native to eastern North America from Nova
Scotia, Canada southward to Florida, United States. It is the
only species in the genus Sanguinaria, and is included in the
family Papaveraceae and most closely related to Eomecon of
eastern Asia. Bloodroot is also known as bloodwort, red puccoon
root, and sometimes pauson. Bloodroot has also been known as
tetterwort in America, although that name is used in Britain to
refer to Greater Celandine. Bloodroot is a variable species
growing from 20 to 50 cm tall, normally with one large, sheath-
like basal multi-lobed leaf up to 12 cm across. The flowers are
produced from March to May, with 8-12 delicate white petals and
yellow reproductive parts. The flowers appear over clasping
leaves while blooming. Plants are variable in leaf and flower
shape and have in the past been separated out as different
subspecies due to these variable shapes; currently most
taxonomic treatments lump these different fo