318 . COMPOSITA:. 
The presence of fermentable sugar has been observed by 
most investigators, and Dragendorff’s observations confirm the 
results previously obtained by Frickhinger, Widemann, and 
Overbrook, that the sugar predominates in the spring root, and 
mulin in the root collected in autumn. It seems to follow 
therefrom that the extract and other preparations made from 
the expressed juice or by treating the autumn root with cold 
water should be more efficacious and less loaded with inert 
matters (sugar, &c.) than those obtained from the spring 
root. Old extract of taraxacum sometimes contains granular 
erystals of calcium lactate (Ludwig, 1861); the lactic acid is 
probably produced from inosit, which, according to Marmé 
(1864), exists in the leaves and stalks of dandelion, but is not 
found in the root. (Stillé and Maisch.) The fresh plant, 
which is used in Europe asa salad, has been analysed by 
Hi. Storer and S. Lewis, who found it to consist of Water 
85°54, Nitrogenous substances 2°81, Fat 0-69, Non-nitrogen- 
ous extractive 745, Cellulose 1:52, Ash 1:90. In the dried 
plant they found Nitrogen 3:11, Carbohydrates 51°52 per 
cent. (Kinig, Nahrungs Mittel.) bec 
Substitutes for Taraxacum. 
Launza pinnatifida, Cass., Wight Ill., t. 133, anative 
of the sandy coasts of India, is much used at Goa as a substitute 
for Taraxacum under the name of Almirao. The plant has a fili- 
form, procumbent stem bearing roots and leaves here and 
there ; leaves crowded, sinuate-pinnatifid, lobes obtuse or sub- 
acute ; peduncles rather shorter than the leaf, having at the 
top scaly bracts which are scarious on the margin. The 
roots are fleshy, about the size of a crowquill, and 6 to 8 
inches long ; when fresh they are yellowish-white. - A section 
shows a yellow central fibro-vaseular column, containing very. 
large fenestrated vessels arranged in a radiating manner Be- 
yond the radii the parenchyma is loaded with large colourless: 
bodies of irregular size and shape, which gradually diminish in 
_ number towards the cortex, where the parenchyma is not 
