i) 
or) 
or 
OPOPANAX.—BDELLiUM.—MYRRH. 
CHAPTER XII. 
OPOPANAX.—BDELLIUM.—MYRRH.—BALSAM OF MECCA.— 
FRANKINCENSE. 
Oropanax, BpetLium, AND Myrru. 
Tue gum-resin formerly sold under this name has almost entirely 
disappeared from commerce. Its botanical origin is doubtful. It 
has been ascribed to Opopanax Chironium, Koch*, an Umbellife- 
rous plant indigenous to the European shores of the Mediterranean ; 
to Opopanax Persicum, Boissier +, found on Mount Elbrus, in the 
north of Persia near Passgala, and on the rocky mountains in the 
district of Kuhkilouyed in Eastern Persia; also to Diplotemia 
cachrydifolia, which occurs in high mountains extending north- 
wards of Teheran, particularly near Azadbar, a plant used by the 
Persians as a culinary vegetable and called by them Djaw-chive. 
Very extensive details of the gum-resins Sagapenum and Opo- 
panax are given in the theses by Przeciszewski, ‘ Pharmacologische 
Untersuchungen tiber Ammoniacum, Sagapenum und Opopanax,’ 
Dorpat, 1861; and Viguier, ‘Gommes résines des Ombelliféres,’ ’ 
Paris, 1869. 
In any case it isa mistake to suppose that the opopanax now 
used in perfumery is the article which until the last few years 
was known as opopanax, and which unquestionably may be ranged 
among the fetid gum-resins, it having an odour like bruised ivy 
leaves but even more disagreeable f. 
The oil of opopanax, now extensively used in perfumery, is dis- 
tilled from the fragrant gum-resin which exudes from the 
Balsamodendron Kéfal, Kunth §; Syn. Protiwm Kafal (Lindl. FI. 
* N. Act. Nat. Curics. xiii. p. 96. 
+ Diagn. sér. 2, fase. 10, p. 36. 
{ Pharm. Journ. [3] xviii. p. 624, 
§ Gen. Tereb. 16; De Cand. Prodr. ii. p. 76. 
