38 AC AN TEA CE^. 



lanceolate, margins often re volute, hairy, almost bristly, size 

 various ; spines 6 in each verticel, between the leaves and flowers, 

 awl-shaped, spreading and a Httle recurved ; flowers verticelled, 

 numerous, sessile, large, of a bright blue ; bracts lanceolate, 

 margins and outside bristly ; calyx of two pairs of nearly equal 

 leaflets, clothed with soft hair; corol 2-lipped, lips nearly equal; 

 upper 2-parted, with the division emarginate, the under one 

 3-parted, with the division also emarginate, in the under a 

 coloured body like a large oblong anther ; filaments connected 

 at the base, second pair larger than usual in the genus ; anthers 

 sagittate ; stigma subulate, involute, with a fissure on the upper 

 side. [Roxh.) The seeds are small and flattish, of irregular form 

 and brown colour, the largest J^ of an inch long and pV ^road. 

 When placed in the mouth they immediately become coated 

 with a large quantity of extremely tenacious mucilage, which 

 adheres to the tongue and palate and is of rather agreeable 

 flavour. 



Microscopic structure, — When 



under 



if 



the mucus may be observed. It appears to spring in filaments 

 from the columnar cells of the testa ; these spread rapidly in 

 every direction and form a network which rftsftmhlfts tbp o-rowth 



of some of the lower forms of algfe ; it does not dissolve when 

 much water is added. 



Chemical composition. —The roots with the lower portion of 

 the stems were air-dried, contused, and exhausted with 80 per 

 cent, alcohol. On concentrating the tincture, white cauliflower- 

 like masses separated. After the whole of the alcohol had been 

 evaporated off, the extract, which had a very strong acid 

 reaction, was mixed with water and agitated with petroleum 

 ether, then with ether, and finally, after having been 

 rendered alkalme, re-agitated with ether. The petroleum ether 



form 



crystalline residue, partly m 



.xxe lorm oi white cauHflower-Hke nodules, and a crystalHne 

 deposit on the sides of the dish. Examined microscopicaUy, 

 both the nodules and the deposit were seen to consist of 

 rod-shaped crystals. After repeated crystaUizution from 



