62 A COMPENDIUM OF 
inches (30 centimeters) or more inlength. The 
portions are knotty, with several heads; exter- 
nally of arusty brown, and usually scaly; when 
chewed it tinges the saliva red, and has avery . 
astringent taste; it has little or no odor. The 
wood is hard and of a pale brown color, having 
many fine medullary rays passing through it. 
The Krameria tomentosa, or Savanilla rhatany, 
is less knotty than the Triandra, and rather more 
slender as arule. The Brazilian or Para rhat- 
any is not materially unlike the preceding, save 
in its being transversely fissured and of a darker 
color. The Krameria secundi-flora is found 
abundantly in the United States, and is known 
as the Texas Krameria. This variety is consid- 
ered inferior to those already described, though 
the difference is but slight. Rhatany is said to 
contain starch, resin, kramero-tannic acid and 
its coloring principle, termed rhatanic red, a 
modified form of Kramero-tannic acid. Rhat- 
any is highly valued as an astringent, in doses 
of 8 to 30 grains (0.5 to 2 grams), but rarely 
given in form of powder. The tincture, syrup, 
extract andinfusion are officinal, Givenindoses 
of 30 to 60 drops (2 to 4 grams), also in form of 
troches, etc. Tannic acid is said to exist in 
three states—that of purity, without color, with 
no astringency, and as an extractive matter 
associated with other material. See Dispensa- 
tory. Rhatanyis rarely adulterated except with 
other varieties of its species. That known as 
the Texas Krameria is seldom found in com- 
merce, 
Lappa Officinalis, Arctium Lappa.—Natu- 
ral order Composite. This rank biennial weed 
