SANTALUM RUBRUM. RED SAUNDERS. 1 53 



entire space between two medullary rays. They are 

 filled with red brown masses, as is also the parenchyma, 

 which in addition contains many-faced crystals of cal- 

 cium oxalate. 



Powder. — The color, odor, and taste, all of which 

 are characteristic, are of more diagnostic value than the 

 microscopical characters. It may be distinguished from 

 Brazil wood and* Red Saunders by its yielding a purple 

 color with alkalies, whereas Brazil wood causes a red 

 color and Red Saunders remains unaffected. The powder 

 shows, however, the large pitted vessels, the thick wood 

 fibres, and the narrow medullary rays. Calcium oxalate 

 crystals are rare. 



Chemistry. — Haematoxylon contains tannin, volatile 

 oil, resin, and, as its important commerical constituent, 

 haematoxylin. An aqueous solution of the latter yields 

 columnar crystals, which are colorless and very sweet, 

 resembling licorice. By the influence of air and moist- 

 ure or other weak oxidizing agents these crystals become 

 dark red brown. In solution with ammonia exposed to 

 the air they yield violet-colored haematin-ammonia, which 

 at i3°C. yields its ammonia, leaving haematin, a blackish- 

 violet crystalline powder with a green lustre. With 

 metallic salts they yield variously colored precipitates. 

 Fused with potash, haematoxylin yields pyrogallol. 



SANTALUM RUBRUM. RED SAUNDERS. 



The wood of Pterocarpus santalinus, Linn6 filius (nat. 

 ord. LeguminoscB) . 



This is a small tree, native of the Coromandel coast, 

 but cultivated in the East Indies and the Philippines. It 

 grows to be about 30 to 40 cm. in diameter and 6 to 8 

 metres (18 to 24 feet) high. 



Description. — Red Saunders is found in the market 

 either in logs derived from the lower portion of the trunk 

 and the larger roots or in chips, raspings, and powder. 



