226 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS. 
and becomes plastic, like gutta-percha, but not sticky, provided 
it has been previously wetted with water. In its natural state it 
has neither taste nor odour, but evolves an odour like that of wax 
when heated, and evinces a characteristic taste on being masticated. 
It is quite insoluble in water, either hot or cold. The greater part 
of it is soluble in cold alcohol, and a considerable portion of the 
remainder in hot alcohol, and by treating it with these solvents in 
succession it may be separated into the following constituents : 
Resinous substance, Sycoretin, easily soluble in cold 
alcohol ... inte Ja Jes vost {gee 
White crystalline sivelances, chiefly Acetate of 
Sycoceryl, C, H, O, C, H,, O, insoluble in 
cold, but solible| a warm alcoho! a. COREE 
Caoutchouc, fragments of bark, sand and loss... 113.” 
(Warren de la Rue and Hugo Miller, in Watt's Dict, ii., 646.) 
Sycoretin. When the solution in cold alcohol (which is of a 
pale-brown colour) is mixed with water, the sycoretin is precipi- 
tated, and may be rendered colourless by repeated solution and 
precipitation. Sycoretin is amorphous, white, neutral, very brittle, 
and highly electric. It melts in boiling water to a thick liquid, 
which floats on the surface. It is insoluble in water, dilute acids, 
ammonia and aqueous alkalies. It dissolves easily in alcohol, 
ether, chloroform, and oil of turpentine, It is not precipitated 
from its alcoholic solution by neutral acetate of lead, or acetate of 
copper. (Watts’ Dict., v., 647), where further particulars are 
given. See also articles “‘ Sycocerylic Alcohol,” and ‘‘ Sycocerylic 
Ethers,’”’ p. 646, loc. cit. 
New South Wales and Queensland. 
g. Frenela (Callitris) spp, N.O., Coniferze. 
The trees of this genus yield Australian Sandarach in greater 
or less quantity. These resins are very much alike, and they all 
possess a pleasant aromatic odour, similar in character to, but 
distinctly different and more powerful, than the odour emitted by 
sandarach under similar circumstances. When the trees are 
wounded the resin exudes in almost colourless transparent beads 
