254 | ERYTHEA. 
and dissolve readily in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzene 
and a variety of other solvents. Its alcoholic solution has a 
bitter rooty taste. Its chemical consitution is still unsettled, 
but I have determined many interesting facts regarding it. 
It is certainly a derivative of the benzene series; it is not an 
acid, an alcohol nor an ester, and cannot. be a terpene or 
resin as has been stated by De Bary. The other compound 
consists of a white amorphous body that is soluble in petro- 
leum spirit but not in ether. It forms but a small propor- 
tion of the indument as found on the mature ferns, and I 
am inclined to believe that it is the varying proportion of 
these two compounds that produces the variation in the color 
of the indument. 
It is but proper at this point to make mention of an article 
written by the German Botanist Klotzsch that appeared in 
the Monatsberichter der Berlin Akademie fiir Dec., 1851. He 
therein states that the substances found on the fronds of cer- 
~ tain species of Gymnogramme and on the leaves of Primula 
auricula is a Pseudo-Stearoptene, that is, a compound related 
to cumarin, the geranium camphor, etc. He relates that 
while making a revision of the former genus he found it 
necessary to remove the indument in order to get a good view 
of the sporangia. This hedid by means of alcohol, and dur- 
ing the evaporation of this liquid he observed a shooting out 
(anschiessen) of needle crystals. These crystals melted at 
50°, had an aromatic taste and odor, and were soluble in hot 
water. 
I think there can be but little doubt that the compound he 
obtained was perfectly distinct from that prepared by myself. 
In all probability this was due to the fact that he worked 
with other species of the genus, for he makes no statement 
as to what particular species yielded the needle crystals. 
Aside from this fact I believe he gives insufficient reason for 
classing his compound with the stearoptenes. 
As to the other species of Gymnogramme I can say but 
little. De Bary in Comparative Anatomy of Phanerogams 
and Ferns gives a figure of the glands found on G. tartarea. 
