212 LEGUMINOS^E. 



tioners in the East, and have been included in the Fharmacopcela of 

 India, 1868. 



Description — The seeds are somewhat globular or ovoid, a little 

 compressed, yV to yV of an inch in diameter and weighing 20 to 40 



;Tains. They are of a bluish or greenish grey tint, smooth, yet marked 



by slightly elevated horizontal lines of a darker hue. The umbilicus 

 is surrounded by a small, dark brown, semilunar blotch opposite the 

 micropyle. The hard shell is from J^ to ^\ of an inch thick, and 

 contains a white kernel, representing from 40 to 50 per cent, of the 

 weight of the seed. It separates easily from the shell, and consists of 

 the two cotyledons and a stout radicle. When a seed is soaked for 

 some hours in cold water, a very thin layer can be peeled from the sur- 

 face of the testa. The kernel is bitter, but with the taste that is 

 common to most seeds of the family Leguminosce. 



Microscopic Structure— The outer layer of the testa, the 

 epidermis above alluded to, is composed of two zones of perpendicular, 

 closely packed cells, the outer measuring about 130 mkm., the inner 

 100 mkm. in length and only 5 to 7 mkm. in diameter. The walls oi 

 these cylindrical cells are thickened by secondary deposits, _ which in 

 transverse section show usually four or more channels running dow 

 nearly perpendicularly through the whole cell. . . , 



The spongy parenchyme, which is covered by this very cUstmc 

 outer layer, is made up of irregular, ovate, subglobular or someT^ 

 elongated cells with large spaces between them, loaded ^^^J''^, Vj^ 

 masses of tannic matter, assuming a blackish hue when touched \^ 

 perchloride of iron. The thick walls of these cells frequently exiiij' 

 chiefly in the inner layers, undulated outlines. The tissue ot the co )^ 

 ledons is composed of veiy large cells, swelling considerably in ^^^.^^^ 

 and containing some mucilage (as may be ascertained "^^^ J^ , J, i ],„ mi- 

 are examined in oil), small starch granules, fatty oil, and a little aio 



Chemical Composition— According to the medical reports a^"^^ 

 to m the Pharmacopma of India (1868), Bonduc seeds, and stui 

 the root of the plant, act as a powerful antiperiodic and tonic. ^^^^^. 



The active principle has not yet been adequately examined. .^ ^.-^ 

 perhaps occur in larger proportion in the bark of the ^oo*^' T^f " -ttent 

 to be more efficacious than the seeds in the treatment of mten 

 fever. 



nous matter. 



1 



In Older to ascertain the chemical nature of the pnT'^^P!^ ^ith 

 seeds, one ounce of the kernels^ was powdered and exhauste ^^^^ 

 slightly acidulated alcohol. The solution after the evaporation 

 alcohol was made alkaline with caustic potash, which did " ,g{giy 

 duce a precipitate. Ether now shaken with the ^q"^^' /*^'7aTiior 

 removed the bitter matter, and yielded it in the form ot ^^^^.j^crly 

 phous white powder, devoid of alkaline properties. I* i^ ^i ^^itter 

 soluble in water, but readily in alcohol, forming i^^^^^^flja It 

 solutions; an aqueous solution is not precipitated by tannic '^ r^^ric 

 l)roduces a yellowish or brownish solution with concentrated su i 



1860^ 18 "^' ^''"''"' ^''''^■'■"'«^' Travancoro, = Kindly furnished us by ^^- ^^ '""' ' 



