MORPHOLOGY.’ 
_The few officinal alge, lichens and fungi, such as Chondrus 
(Irish-moss), Cetraria (Iceland-moss), Secale cornutum (Ergot), 
and the unofficinal Fungus laricis (Larch Agaric), afford ex- 
amples of entire plants’ which serve for medicinal purposes; 
_ the remaining drugs consist of parts of their mother-plants. 
Among the underground or, at least, half underground organs 
which fall within the province of pharmacy, the following are 
to be distinguished: 
Roots (Radices). We confine this expression to the axes 
of endogenous formation, in which the capability of producing 
leaves, and mostly: also chlorophyll, is wanting, but which 
possess a root-cap. This latter is a delicate, slightly extended 
tissue on the growing end (tip) of the root. The cells of the 
root-cap increase in number by division, but remain uniform; 
and farther back, within the cap, the point is reached where 
the formation of the different systems of tissue begins (see Ana- 
tomy, under formative tissue). 
Roots are designated as main or primary roots when they 
represent the direct (underground) descending continuation of 
the base of the stem. Frequently the primary root becomes 
divided into root-branches, which, when they are very thin, are 
'A thorough treatise on morphology, based upon modern views, is 
contained in Leunis’ “Synopsis,” Bd. I., 1882, Edited by B. Frank. 
Compare also Th. Liebe, ‘‘ Die Elemente der Morphologie,” Berlin, 1881. 
*The sclerotium of Claviceps purpurea, which constitutes the Secale 
cornutum, is the passive condition of the fungus. Fungus laricis is the 
fruit-bearing portion of Polyporus officinalis Fr., and is thus, strictly 
considered, also only a portion of a plant, even though quantitatively 
_ by far the preponderating portion. 
