212 PLANT ORGANS OR PARTS OF PLANTS. 



CUSSO. KOUSSO. 



"The female inflorescence of Hagenia Ahyssinica 

 (Bruce), Guieli (nat. ord. Rosncece).'' 



This tree, growing on the plateaus of Abyssinia, attains 

 a height of 20 m. It flowers in the autumn. The female 

 panicles are collected and rolled into bundles, 30 to 40 cm. 

 long and 5 cm. thick. It enters commerce through the 

 ports of Aden, Bombay, and Leghorn. 



Description. — The inflorescence is in unisexual axillary 

 panicles, about 30 cm. long. The flowers are small, 

 5 to 10 mm. broad, supported on short pedicles. The 

 branches of the rachis divide dichotomously, bending 

 sharply at each fork. A sheathing bract subtends the 

 base of each branch, and two oboval bracts accompany 

 each flower. All parts are densely hairy and glandular. 

 The short calyx tube of the female flower is surmounted 

 by two whorls of four or five calyx lobes; the outer, 5 

 to 6 mm. long, membranous, with anastomosing veins; 

 the inner, smaller, about as broad as long. The bracts 

 and calyx are reddish or purple. The petals, usually 

 wanting in the dried drug, are small, linear, lanceolate, 

 alternating with the sepals. The stamens, about twenty 

 in number, are inserted on the calyx tube ; each bears a 

 sterile anther on a short filament. Carpels two, one 

 often undeveloped, free, within the calyx tube, bearing 

 on lengthened styles two truncate stymes. 



In the male flower the androecium is well-developed, 

 the long filaments bearing two-celled anthers. The 

 gynascium is abortive. The bracts and calyx are green, 

 with a slight reddish tint. The odor is pleasant, tea- 

 like. Taste, at first mucilaginous, then acrid, bitter, 

 and astringent. 



Histology. — The bracts and calyx lobes bear an epi- 

 dermis of polygonal cells, somewhat thick- walled on the 

 bracts, thinner- walled, with undulating outlines on the 



