ie ey At 
478. LEGUMINOSZ. 
3:30, woody matter, &c., 26:80. Sarcocolline is described as 
a substance sut generis, aclable.i in 40 parts of cold water, and 
25 parts boiling, A hot saturated solution precipitates on 
cooling, part of the sarcocolline, which separating as a syrupy 
liquid, is no longer soluble in water. Alcohol dissolves it in 
all proportions, the solution mixed with water becomes turbid, 
but does not precipitate. 
Description.—Sarcocolla consists of more or less agglo- 
merated very friable grains ; it is opaque or semi-transparent, 
and varies in colour from deep red to yellowish white or grey ; it 
has hardly any odour and a sharp bitter sweet taste ; it swells 
when heated, and burns with an odour of burnt sugar. Gum 
Sarcocolla is imported into Bombay from the Persian port of 
Bushire in bags which contain about 2 ewts.; the total quan- 
tity imported must be considerable, as from 12 to 20 bags may 
often be seen in a single warehouse. The original packages 
always contain portions of the plant, of which the following is 
a description :-— 
Frvrr.—Peduncles short, slender; calyx oblong, bell-shaped, 
chaffy, { in. long, with a 5-dentate narrow, open mouth, with- 
in it are the dry petals, and an oblong, silicious, rostrated pods 
as large as a grain of rice in the husk, and haying its external 
surface eee covered, with a felting of white, cotton-like 
down, tted together. Although 
> the pod i is maton, the. petals remain firmly attached, the upper 
one is hooded and envelopes the rostrum of the pod. The pod 
is two-valved ; attached to its dorsal suture on one side is @ 
single, greyish-brown, Yetch-like seed, having a diameter of $ 
‘inch ; when soaked i m water it swells, bursts, and a mass of 
-Sarcocolla protrudes; Some of the. pods are abortive and a are 
Sens of the gum. 
& “dap vantion “composed of numerous radiating, wedge- 
demise ke thorns > to l inch long, and together — 
he ye gee Disac a es mor less covered with cotton-like 
