WOODY ROOTS, WITH STARCH.

1. Sweet and Mucilaginous.

GLYCYRRHIZA.

G. glabra.

Licorice.

The root is dug up in winter, when the plant is at least three years old; the latter has a crown dividing into several aerial stems; below this crown is a principal root about six inches long, which divides into three to five long, rather straight roots, beset with rootlets. Besides these downward running roots, the principal root emits horizontal runners, which also help to contribute to the commercial article. It appears in commerce in pieces of various lengths and thickness, round and fibrous. Externally, yellowish brown and wrinkled, appearing either with or without the thin brownish coat; internally, grayish yellow. The bark consists of about one-fourth of the diameter of the root. Both the bark and wood are extremely tough, readily tearing into long fibrous strips. The corky layer is made up of the usual tubular cells; the primary cortical tissue of only a few rows of cells. The chief portion of the bark consists of liber, and is mostly built up of parenchymatous tissue accompanied by elongated fibres of two kinds, partially united and partly forming a network. The woody column shows three kinds of cells, ligneous, with oblique ends; parenchymatous, almost cubic; and large pitted vessels. The bark and wood are separated by a very distinct cambial line. Peculiar earthy odor. Strongly sweet and mucilaginous taste. Glycyrrhizin, its peculiar principle, is a glucoside, splitting into glycyrretin and glucose by the action of dilute muriatic acid. Asparagin has also been obtained.

KRAMERIA.

2. Astringent.

K. triandra.

Rhatany.

Shrubby plant of a striking appearance, indigenous to the sandy localities of S. Am. The root, which attains considerable size, consists of a short, thick crown, sometimes much knotted, and as large as a man's fist. This branches, throwing out numerous branching cylindrical roots, some feet long and one-fourth to one-half inch thick. In commerce, the more woody central part with the short stumpy branches constitutes the largest proportion. The bark, which is scaly and rugged, and one-tenth to one-twentieth of an inch in thickness, is of a dark reddish brown, and contains the medicinal qualities. It consists of a loose, cracked, corky layer, mostly smooth in the smaller roots, covering a bright brownish red inner bark, which is readily separated from the brownish yellow

wood. The bark is tough, breaking with a fibrous fracture. The wood is dense, without pith, but marked with concentric rings and fine, dark medullary rays. Liber constitutes the chief portion of the bark; a transverse section shows numerous bundles of yellow fibres separated by parenchymatous tissue, and crossed by narrow, brown medullary rays. The wood exhibits no particular structure. No odor; the taste of the bark is purely astringent; the wood is almost tasteless. In the other varieties of R. the bark adheres more firmly to the wood, the fracture is more abrupt and less fibrous, the crown is not so knotty nor the roots so long or black, the color is of a dull purplish brown, the taste more astringent. Rhataniatannic acid, closely related to Catechu-tannic acid, and an alkaloid, Tyrosina, (also of animal origin,) are its interesting principles.

PAREIRA BRAVA.

3. Bitter and Acrid.

Chondodendron tomentosum.

Pareira Brava.

Long, twining, cylindrical root, from the thickness of a finger to that of the arm, and from a few inches to several feet in length. Externally, blackish brown, somewhat firmly adhering bark, which is disposed to exfoliate, marked with longitudinal and irregular wrinkles, and occasionally with large warts. Internally, light yellowish brown, sometimes of a dull greenish brown. The root hard, but easily shaved, which transversely exposes a waxy surface, rather than woody, when cut.

Transverse sections display three or four zones, divided from each other by wavy, light-colored lines; crossing these zones are wedge-shaped, woody rays, sparsely and irregularly distributed. The central column is 0.2 to 0.4 of an in. in diameter, and is composed of ten to twenty converging wedges of large pored woody tissue.

STEMS AND ROOTS OF CISSAMPELOS PAREIRA are very commonly sold as true Pareira; indeed, this was supposed to be the source of true Pareira. May be distinguished by there being no concentric layers of wood, thickish, corky bark. The transverse sections shows a light brown wood, composed of a number of converging wedges (ten to twenty) of very porous structure, separated by narrow medullary rays. Bitter taste, without sweetness or astringency.

COMMON OR FALSE PAREIRA BRAVA. Source uncertain; pieces cylindrical, four-sided or flattened; transverse section remarkable, a well defined pith in centre of first formed wood, succeeded by ten to fifteen or more eccentric-seldom concentric-zones, one tenth to two-tenths of an inch in width, each separated from its neighbor by

a layer of parenchyma, the outermost being coated with true bark. Sometimes the zones are formed entirely on one side. They are crossed by numerous small medullary rays. These do not run from the centre to circumference, but traverse only their respective zones, on the outside of which they are arched together. An alkaloid (Pelosina) identical in composition with Buxina is found.

IPECACUANHA.

Cephalis Ipecacuanha.

Іресас.

The

The stem creeps a little below the surface of the soil, emitting a small number of slightly branched, contorted roots, a few inches long. When young, these roots are very slender and thread-like, but grow gradually knotty, and become, by degrees, invested with a thick bark, transversely corrugated or ringed. Close examination of the dry root shows that the bark is raised in narrow, warty ridges, which sometimes run entirely round the root, sometimes encircle only half its circumference. The rings number about twenty to the inch, not unfrequently deep enough to penetrate the wood. The whole surface is wrinkled longitudinally. It appears in pieces of about two inches in length and three lines in diameter. woody centre is scarcely half a line in diameter, sub-cylindrical, sometimes striated, and devoid of pith. Externally the color varies from a dusky gray to black. It is hard, breaks short and granular (not fibrous), exhibiting a resinous, waxy, or farinaceous interior, white or grayish. The interior cortical tissue is uniform, in which the medullary rays are scarcely to be observed. In the woody column they are obvious; the prevailing tissue consists of short pitted vessels. The bark, which constitutes about 75 per cent. of the entire root, and contains all the medicinal properties, may be easily separated from the porous wood. When whole, it has but little smell; but when powdered, its odor is nauseous, taste bitter and nauseous. The wood is almost tasteless. The Carthagena or New Granada Ipecac differs from the Brazilian chiefly in being of larger size. The former, moreover, has a distinct radiate arrangement of the wood, due to the greater development of the medullary rays, and is less annulated. The peculiar principles of Ipecac are Emetia and Ipecacuanhic Acid. The activity of the drug is solely due to the Emetia, which it yields to the extent of 1 per cent. İpecacu

anhic Acid is related to Caffeo-tannic and Kinic Acids.

GILLENIA TRIFOLIATA.

Gillenia.

G. trifoliata and G. stipulacea

Are distinguished among themselves by the stipules of the latter being much larger, and its root darker, thicker, and more annulated.

They appear in commerce in pieces about the thickness of a quill, and several inches in length. Externally, red brown, wrinkled longitudinally, somewhat knotty appearance, bark thick, brittle, and easily separated; it contains the medical virtues. Internally, pale brown, wood tough and of a white color, and inert. InodorBitter, acrid taste. Contains Gillenin.

ous.

TRIOSTEUM.

T. perfoliatum.

Fever Root.

Long, horizontal, about three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Brittle. Externally, brown; internally, white. Inodorous. Bitter, nauseous taste.

APOCYNUM ANDROSAEMIFOLIUM.

A. androsaemifolium.

Dogsbane

Several inches long, by one-fourth to one-half of an inch thick. Externally, brown, and longitudinally wrinkled. Internally, whitish. No odor.

Bitter taste.

APOCYNUM CANNABINUM. A. cannabinum. Indian Hemp.

Very long horizontal root, about one-third of an inch thick. Externally, yellowish brown; internally, yellowish white. Breaks with a short fracture. Peculiar odor. Nauseous, somewhat acrid Contains Apocynin.

taste.

GELSEMIUM.

Aromatic.

G. sempervirens.

Yellow Jasmine.

Long, spreading root, generally mixed with the overground stems. As found in commerce, sliced in cylindrical pieces, an inch or more in length, a half to an inch thick, very light and fibrous. Externally, grayish brown; internally, white; bark thin, medullary rays plainly observed; slight odor; lasting, bitter taste. Gelseminic Acid (analagous to Esculin, found in horse chestnut) and Gelseminia are its important principles.

RHIZOMES.

ACOTYLEDONOUS.

FILIX MAS.

Aspidium Filix Mas.

Male Fern.

The whole rhizome is about a foot in length, one to two inches thick, fleshy when fresh. Found in commerce in fragments; light, spongy, flexible. Externally, brown; internally, greenish, inclining to cinnamon shade, furnished with large vascular bundles interruptedly arranged in a ring. The rhizomes are closely enveloped on their whole outer surface by the residue or base of the footstalks (of the fronds) and numerous chaff-like scales. The former arise obliquely, and point in one direction; these, together with the scales, distinguish them from other similar rhizomes. Sweetishbitter taste. Odor peculiar, somewhat nauseous-only such as have retained their green color are considered of value in medicine. Constituents, five to six per cent. of green, fatty oil, traces of Vol. Oil, Resin, Tannin, Filicic Acid, &c.

ÁSPIDIUM AUTUMNALE (the one indigenous) is distinguished by having four wood bundles, while A. Filix Mas has six to eight, and longer ones.

Fibrous; cut when fresh in slices. Differs from I. Florentina in the annulations being more prominent. Externally, brown; internally, whitish. No odor. Slightly acrid taste.