ODOUR OF THE HAYFIELDS. 135 
Besides the above-named plants, its presence has been dis- 
covered in :— 
Adiantum pedatum. Leaves. 
do. Peruvianum. { Ferns. do. 
do. trapeziforme. do. 
*Drynaria Wildenovi. 
Phoenix dactylifera. A palm. The date. 
Aceras anthrophora. Orchids. Leaves. 
Nigritella angustifolia. ( do. 
Orchis fusca. do, 
Herniaria glabra. Leguminous tree, do. 
Ruta graveolens. Herbaceous plant. do. 
Dipterix oppositifolia. | Leguminous trees. The ripe seed. 
do. _ pteropus. do. 
Alyxia stellata. Evergreen tree. Bark. 
Asperula odorata. Leaves. 
Galium trifolium. | Herbaceous plants. do. 
Liatris spicata. do. 
Prunus Mahaleb. Evergreen tree. Bark. 
Melilotus officinalis. ) Flowers and leaves. 
do. leucanthus. | do. 
do. hamatus. > Herbaceous plants. do. 
do.  altissimus. | do. 
do. albus. J do. 
Ageratum Mexicanum. Annual. Leaves. 
It was at first thought that the sole odorous principle existing 
in Melilotus officinalis was coumarin, but the investigations of 
Zwenger and Bodenbender showed that the odorous principle is 
coumarin-melilotic acid, C;,H,,O;, a compound of melilotic acid 
(hydrocoumaric acid) with coumarint. It has since been shown 
by Phipson that the odorous principle of the plant at the time of 
its maturity is principally melilotol and melilotic acid. 
A note by T. L. Phipson on the discovery of melilotol appeared 
in the ‘ Chemical News,’ 1875 {; his further observations on this 
subject appeared in the ‘ Journ. de Pharmacie, 1878§, to the 
effect that in endeavouring to ascertain how much coumarin could 
be extracted from the Melilotus officinalis, which grows abundantly 
* A specimen of this fern is in the Royal Botanic Gardens, London. 
+ Ann. der Chem. und Pharm. exxvi. p. 257, and Bull. de la Soc. Chim. 
1864, p. 145. 
{ xxxii. p. 125, § xxviii. p. 300. 
