148 



602. XANTHORRHCEA ARBOREA, continued. 



d. Balsamic resin. (Gum Acroides, Botany Bay Resin.) 

 Note. Specimens a, b, and c were presented by Mr. Bowerbank, of 

 Sydney. The resin is of a bright yellow colour, becoming reddest, 

 externally, on exposure to air and light, and is known in com- 

 merce under the name of gum acroides. It has a fragrant odour when 

 burned, and contains cinnamic acid, together with a little benzoic acid. 

 See Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii., pt. i., p. 213. It is remarkable for the large 

 quantity of picric acid it yields when treated with nitric acid. See P. J. 

 [1] , vol. vi., p. 89. The name aeroides is derived from Acroides resini- 

 fera, the name given by Sprengel to the plant yielding the resin. See 

 Herat et De Lens, Diet. Mat. Med., t. vi., p. 970. 



603. XANTHORRH(EA AUSTRALIS, E. Br. 



a. Spike of fruit. 



b. Portion of the bases of the leaves, with the resin ad- 



hering. 



Note. The specimens a and 6 were presented by Mr. Bowerbank, 

 of Sydney. 



c. Balsamic resin, massive, after fusion by fire. Presented 



by Mr. Rea. (Black Boy Gum.) 



d. Balsamic resin in tears, mixed with the fruit. Pre- 



sented by Dr. Lindley. 



Note. This resin is of a deep garnet-red colour, and usually occurs in 

 tears. It is known in commerce under the name of " black-boy gum." It 

 is soluble in alcohol, and in the essential oils of the Eucalypti, except 

 that of E. amygdalina (dandenong peppermint) ; insoluble in turpentine, 

 and very slightly in the drying oils. It contains benzoic and cinnamic 

 acid. See Catalogue, Victorian Exhib., 1861, Jurors' Report, p. 57 ; also 

 Per. Mat. Med., vol. ii., pt. i., p. 213. 



MELANTHACE^;. 



604 ASAGR2EA OFFICINALIS, Lindl. ; SCHCENOEAULON OFFICINALE, A. 



Gray. 



a. Fruit. (Cevadilla Seeds, Sabadilla.') 



Note. The seeds are used chiefly for the preparation of veratria. For 

 fig. of plant, see Bentley and Trimen, Med. Plants, tab. 287. 



605. COLCHICUM AUTUMNALE, L. 



a. The plant in flower, preserved wet. Two specimens. 

 &. The corm, preserved wet. Two specimens. 



c. The corm, dried and sliced. 



d. Ditto, powdered. 



e. Starch obtained from the corm. 



/. Seed. See Bentley and Trimen, Med. Plants, No. 288. 

 Note. Colchicum blossoms in September, about the same time as 

 Crocus sativus, the flower of which it resembles ; but it is distinguished 

 from the crocus by the leaves not appearing with the flower, and by the 

 flower having six stamens, the crocus having three stamens only. The 

 seeds appear in spring with the leaves. The seed slightly resembles 



