538 CONVOLVULACEA. 
in the’ central) portion’ five: wedge-shaped bundles. of. fibro- 
vascular.tissue ; external to these is a row of laticiferous vessels 
full ofa viscid. yellow. latex, then again come a number of 
irregularly. plaged. fibro-vascular handles, and. external to ~ 
them another zone of laticiferous vessels. The parenchyme of 
the root contains starch and large conglomerate raphides. — 
= whole plant is very mucilaginous. . 4 
“ Ohemical composition.—The powdered roots, avied at a low 
temperature, were exhausted with 80 per cont alcohol : : th 
tincture exhibited a slight greenish yellow fluorescence. The 
tincture was freed’ from aleohol by spontaneous evaporation, 
and the extract mixed with water, acidulated with sulphuric 
acid and agitated with benzole. During agitation, a brownish — 
soft resin separated ; this resin was insoluble also in ether, but — 
dissolved in alkalies with a dark yellowish brown coloration 
and was precipitated’by acid in brown flocks. The benzole 
® 
which possessed a slight odour of peppermint. This extract 
was soluble in absolute alcohol with greenish yellow 
fluorescence and was neutral in reaction: it was also soluble 
‘in ‘ether, with: similar» fluorescence. The alcoholic solution 
gave with ferric chloride a dirty greenish precipitate. In_ 
eald 5 per cent.. caustic soda it was insoluble, but | on ‘ 
boiling it. dissolved. with, some difficulty, affording a dark 
: — solution, while an odour not unlike that of aniseed 
yas 
: on ‘the addition of dilute acids afforded a yellowish precipitate. 
a The original | acid aqueous solution was next agitated with — 
ether, The extractive was small in amount, partly in the form 
: of a transparent varnish adhering: to the sides of the capsule, 
and pa ict whitish crystals. Heated with water. 
ford = Adal solution, but ' which beca 
ore 
on oe : 
