PIPER ACE JE. 179 



aroma, l)ut m t^e process of drying it gradually developes an 

 aromatiG- taste and odour. 



Pippali-mula, or pepper root, wlien fresh, is a fleshy, crooked, 

 and knotted root ahout the size of a goose- quill^ with many 

 smaller rootlets branching from it. The cortical portion is very 

 thick, and covered by a thin smooth brown epidermis. Ihe 

 central woody column is soft and divided into from 4 to 6 wedge- 

 shaped portions by from 4 to G very conspicuous medullary rays. 



Microscojjic stntcturc. — The epidermis of the root consists of 

 several raws of tangentially extended brown cells. The paren- 



chyme of the cortex is chiefly composed of large thin-w^alled cells 

 loaded with starch, and containing drops of e&sential oil. 

 Amongst them are scattered cells containing a refractiv^e yel- 

 low substance (re^n). The central woody column is also loaded 

 wath starch, and contains as many resin-cells as> the cortex. 

 The medullary rays are abundantly provided w^ith large scalari- 

 form vessels. 



Chemical compmition. — The constituents of long pepper are 

 the same as those of black pepper. 



A third kind of long pepper is met with in the bazars, w^hich 

 is known as Swaheli or Sugandhi-pippali, and is imported from 

 Zanzibar. It has a peculiarly fragrant odour, and is adminis- 

 tered with honey as a remedy for cough ; it has not the acridity 

 of the other long peppers. 



The aments are from 1 to 2^ inches in length, flesuose, many 

 of them barren or nearly so, onlj^ one or two fruits having come 

 to maturity. These aments are almost filiform. The peduncle 

 is about one inch long. The mature fruit after being soaked in 

 water is j\ inch in diameter, ]3yi if orm, mucronate (the miicro 

 bifurcated), sessile ;'it consists of a pulpy envelope enclosing a 

 somewhat pyriform seed resembling in structure that of other 



peppers. 



Commerce. — Three kinds of long pepper arc met with in the 

 Indian market— Isi, Singapore, which is identical with the long 

 pepper of European commerce; 2iul, Banguli, the produce of 

 P. longum^ cultivated in Bengal; 3rc?, Swahcli^ imported from 

 Zanzibar. 



