@ENTIANACEA, 513 
ens, the root is somewhat oblique or geniculate; perhaps the 
‘stem i is in this case the product of a second year’s growth, and 
the plant not strictly annual. Each plant usually consists of a 
single stem, yet occasionally two or more spring from a single 
_ root. The stem rises to a height of 2 to 3 feet, and is cylin- 
drical in its lower and middle portion, but bluntly quadrangu- 
lar in its upper, the four'edges being each marked with a pro- 
minent decurrent line, as in Hrythrea Centaurium and many 
other plants of the order. The decussate ramification resembles 
that of the other Gentians; its stems are jointed at intervals 
of 1 to 8 or 4 inches bearing opposite semi-amplexicaul leaves 
or their cicatrices. The stem consists in its lower portion 
of a large woody column, coated with a very thin rind, and 
nclosing a comparatively large pith. The upper parts of 
we stem and branches contain a broad ring of thick-walled 
roody parenchyme. The numerous slender axillary and oppo- 
branches are elongated, and thus constitute a dense umbel- 
panicle. They are smooth and glabrous, of greenish or 
mnish grey colour. 
The leaves are ovate, acuminate, cordate at the base, ples, 
ile, the largest one inch or more in length, 3to 5 or 7- 
nerved, the midrib being strongest. At each division of the 
‘panicle there are twosmall bracts. The yellow corollais rotate, 
obed, with glandular pits above the base; the calyx isone- 
third the length of the petals, which are about half an inch : 
af ae The one-celled bivalved capsule contains numerous 
‘The flowers share the intense bitterness of the whole drug. : 
Be wood of the stronger stems is devoid of the bitter pra 
Chemica i vietlionconk the request of the authors of the 
, jraphia, a chemical examination of chiretta was made 
éhn under the direction of Professor Ludwig of Jena. 
shief results may be thus described. Among the bitter — 
of the seas, Ophelic Acid, C'3H2°Q"9, oceurs in the 
portion. It is an Stee boon y ow 
