256 COMPOSIT A. 
decided taste. In water, cold or boiling, it was practically in- ~ 
soluble, it was slightly soluble in cold ether and alcohol, but = 
was not easily soluble even in boiling alcohol. The ethereal — 
solution left the principle, on spontaneous evaporation, as a 
dull adherent deposit on the sides of the vessel. The crys- 
talline principle had a melting point of 156° C. (uncorrected) ; 
it did not contain nitrogen. With reagents it gave the follow- 
ing reactions :— 
Concentrated sulphuric acid dissolved it, the solution being 
of a bright yellow-colour; on the addition of water the acid. 
became milky from separation of white flocks. Concentrated 
nitric acid gave an orange-red coloration; hydrochloric acid 
produced no change either in the cold or on heating. Fréhde’s 
reagent gave a yellow colour, changing to yellowish-green on 
heating. Sulphuric acid and potassium bichromate no special 
reaction. An alcoholic solution gave with ferric chloride a 
dirty greenish brown coloration ; with ferrous salts, a dirty 
reddish coloration, which disappeared on heating, leaving the 
solution of a pale yellow tint. The addition of alkalies to an 
alcoholic solution produced a bright yellow colour ; in hot or 
cold aqueoys alkaline solutions the principle was insoluble. 
This principle would appear to be allied to the quercitrin | 
group, but does not appear to be identical with any of those 
hitherto described; we reserve, however, a definite expression 
of opinion for the present. 
PLUCHEA LANCEOLATA, Dliv. 
Fig.—Deless. Ic. Sel. iv., t. 21, Syn. Berthelotia lanceo- 
lata. : 
Hab.— Upper Bengal, Onde, Punjab, Sind. 
Vernacular.—Ra-sana (Punj.), Koura-sana ( Sind.) 
Description.—An annual, with spreading branches, and 
opposite, petioled, oval or oblong leaves covered with stomata 
on both sides, edges vertical ; florets tubular, with silky pappus. 
It forms thickets up to four and five feet high. Theleaves are — 
