RADIX ALTH^^. 93 



taining from 3 to 30 fibres separated by parenchymatous tissue. Of 

 the cortical parenchyme many cells are loaded with starch granules, 



others contain stellate groups of oxalate of calcium, and a considerable 

 number of somewhat larger cells are filled with mucilage. The last- 

 named on addition of alcohol is seen to consist of different layers. 



The woody part is made up of pitted or scalariform vessels, accom- 

 panied by a fcAY ligneous cells and separated by a parenchymatous 

 tissue, agreeing with that of the bark. On addition of an alkali, 

 sections of the root assume a bright yellow hue. 



Chemical Composition — The mucilage in the dry root amounts 

 to about 25 per cent, and the starch to as nmch more. The former 

 appears from the not very accordant analysis of Schmidt and of Mulder 

 to agree with the formula C^^tI-*^0^^ thus differincr from the mucilage 



of gum arable hy one molecule less of water. It likewise ditfers in 

 being precipitable by neutral acetate of lead. At the same time it 

 does not show the behaviour of cellulose, as it does not turn blue by 

 iodine when moistened with sulphuric acid, and it is not soluble in 

 ammoniacal solution of oxide of copper. 



^^ The root also contains pectin and sugar (cane-sugar according to 

 Wittstock), and a trace of fatty oil Taunin is found in very small 

 (quantity in the outer bark alone. 



In 1826 Bacon, a pliarmacien of Caen, obtained from althaea root 

 cr}'stals of a substance at first regarded as peculiar, but subsequently 

 identified with Asparagin, CK'N'^O^ H'^0. It had been previously 

 prepared (1805) by Vauquelin and Robiquet from Asparagus, and is now 

 known to be a widely-diff'used constituent of plants.^ "^ Marshmallow 

 root does not yield more than 0-8 to 2'0 per cent. Asparagin crystal- 

 nzes in large prisms or octohedra of the rhombic system ; it is nearly 

 tasteless, and appears destitute of physiological action. Its relation to 

 succmic acid may be thus represented :— 



Succinic acid: C^H^{coClI> ^^^^' C'H:^(™') { COOh'' 



Asparagin is quite permanent whether in the solid state or dissolved, 



but it 



tains the albuminoid con- 



Leouminous seeds, 



uui u IS easdy decomposed if the solution contain 



^^^tuents of the root, which act as a ferment. ^.^ ----- . 



iv }i^'^ ^^^^^'^^ cheese induce the same change, the final product of 

 waf ^^ succinate of ammonium, the asparagin taking the elements of 

 ter and hydrogen set free by the fermentation, thus 



Asparagin, Succinate of Ammonium. 



boili a J-^^^ influence of acids or bases, or even by the prolonged 

 of^l^^^ ^^^ ''iqueous solution, asparagin is converted inio A spmi ate 

 ^^^TiC^\^^' C'H*5(^^H-)N0^ of which the hjdrated asparagin con- 



elements. 



are undergone by the 



aspara?^ transformations, especially the former, i 



gui m the root, if the latter has been imperfectly dried, or has 



1 T. , 



''^tioa'^^o^f '^tl ^^^"^""^^^"'^ P^*"* '" *^® S^""- ^^^ J"^^® ^y means of the microscope and 



"Rd other ri] f ^^^'^'^^ '^^ papilionaceous absolute alcohol, in which latter asparagin 



^^^H Ulan/a V 'x • * ^^ abundant in the is insoluble. See Pfeffer in Pringsheim's 



appears Tf ^^* ^ °^ost it speedily dis- Jalirh. f. wlss. Bot. 187-2. 533-564.— 



^ presence can be proved in Borodin in i?o<. ^ei^««17, 1S78. SOlandscq. 



