376 RUBIACE^. 



Soine of tliese roots, which are occasionally brought to Europe under 

 the notion that they may find a market, have been described and figured 

 by pharmacologists. We shall notice only the following : — 



1. Large Striated I^^eeacuanJia— This is the root of Psychotria 



emetlca Mutis (Bubiacew), a native of New Granada. It is considerably 

 stouter than true ipecacuanha, but consists like the latter of a woody 

 colamn covered with a thick brownish bark. The latter, though marked 

 here and there with constrictions and fissures, is not annulated like 

 ipecacuanha, but has very evident longitudinal furrows. But its most 

 remarkable character is that it remains soft and moist, tough to the hnije, 

 even after many years ; and the cut surface has a dull violet hue. 

 The root has a sweetish taste and abounds in sugar ;i its decoction 

 IS not rendered blue by iodine, nor is any starch to be detected by 

 means of the microscope. The drug occasionally appears in the 

 London market. 



2. Small Striated Ipecacuanha — This drug in outward appearance 

 closely resembles the preceding, but is usually of smaller size,— some- 

 times much smaller and in short pieces tapering towards either eud. It 

 also diflers in being brittle, abounding in starch, and having its woody 

 column provided with numerous pores, easily visible under a lens. 

 f S . f ^.^^^'^ ^f Pa^s, who has particularly examined both varieties 

 01 striated Ipecacuanha, is of opinion that the drug under notice may 

 be derived from some species of Richardsonia. 



^ 3. Undulated Ipecacuanha — The root thus called is that of 



.-.„....„... o^.cv/u, xj. {ntcnarasoma scabra St. Hilaire), a plant oi tne 

 same order as Cephaelis, very common in Brazil, where it grows in 

 cultivated ground and sandy places, or by roadsides, and even in the less 

 tiequcnted streets of Rio de Janeiro. Authentic specimens have been 



Sn f n ""- ^^ ^^- ^^^^^o^ of Rio de Janeiro, Lid Mr. J. Correa de 

 nnl Lf ^^"^Pinas ; and we have also had ample supplies of the i)lant 



snor-Pol • I "' ""^^"^ .^^^^°" a'^d at SLrassburg, where Richardsonia 

 succeeds in the open air. 



dpp^^l?^^ '"^ the fresh state is pure white, but by drying becomes of a 

 emitfinT"^''^' ^"^ *^" ^r^z^i^n specimens, there 'is t short crown 

 rneiX^' "'■^''l'^ ^. ^°^«^ prostrate stems; below this there is 

 extemk Hot '° I^- .^P^cacuanha. a naked woody portion, which 

 sfx or n.n /•''T'^^ '"*" ^ ^^'^^^"^ ^«ot, ^^ of an inch in diameter, and 

 Sures on !,?r '! ^'^f ■ ™' P^^'*' «f tL root is marked by deep 

 Sne ^Vi ^^^t^ ^^'ies, which give it a knotty, sinuous, or undulating 



surrounding .^ ^"'^f "' """"'y ^^'^^ ^.ark, white and farinaceous withiu, 

 ear hv odoi ^if ^'^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^J ^^l^nin. The root has f 

 s'^Xste Tf ff T^^'" ^^^^^^ ^^'^^ of ipecacuanha, and a slighti/ 

 manner^l!; -,*' f''l^^ ^^ ^^i^ence of emetine when tested in the 

 KX tTett. '• '^'' '"^' '''' "^^^-^^"^^ --^^ ^^- distinguished 



Bras. 1824 • A X «/ -^f ' ^^'''- ^«'^- 140. 



^utiles des BH4ulns kof^^^' ^'^'"'^'' ' Jonrn. dc Phami. xvi. (1872) 405: x^T. 



to 



/pecacuanha 



19. 



