150 



PALMACE^G. 



610. ARECA CATECHU, L. 



fa. Section of trunk, from Ceylon. 

 &. Fruit. For fig., see Hist, des Drog., vol. ii., p. 132. 



c. Seeds. (Areca, or Betel Nut.) 



d. Ditto, carbonised. 



e. Extract prepared from the fruit. (Kassu.) 



f. Ditto. Presented by Prof. Gruibourt. 



g. Ditto, from Colombo. 

 h. Ditto, from Ceylon. 



Note. The seeds sliced are used as a masticatory in India; for 

 this purpose a slice is powdered over with lime, and wrapped in a leaf of 

 Piper Betle, L. The grated seeds are used as a remedy for tapeworm in 

 dogs, and are given to human beings for the same purpose in India and 

 China, and now in Britain also: According to Hanbury, areca nuts do not 

 contain any catechin or crystalline matter. Pereira, however, states that 

 areca nut catechu contains numerous large crystals. Hence it appears 

 doubtful if the areca nut catechu of Pereira is really obtained from areca 

 catechu. Areca nut catechu of Pereira is distinguished by occurring in flat 

 circular cakes, two to three inches in diameter, and about two-thirds of 

 an inch thick, and is usually covered with the glumes of rice, which are 

 called paddy husks. Compare Pharmacographia, p. 608, and Per. Mat. 

 Med., vol. ii., pt. ii., p. 341. See Bentl. & Trim., Med. Plants, tab. 276. 



611. CALAMUS DRACO, Willd. 



a. Resin. (Reed Dragon's Blood.) 



b. Ditto, ditto, fine. 



c. Ditto, ditto, very old. 



Note. Specimen a is in sticks about fourteen inches long, and is the 

 kind described in Pharmacographia, p. 611. Specimen b is in shorter 

 sticks, about six to eight inches long. The sticks are wrapped in palm 

 leaves, and are secured by the flexible stem of some kind of grass. 

 Specimen c is a portion of a stick of rather larger diameter. Specimen 

 a contains about 80 per cent, of matter soluble in spirit of wine. 



d. Resin. (Lump Dragon's Blood.) 



e. Ditto, ditto. Presented by Mr. Savory. 

 /. Dragon's blood, in oval masses. 



g. Fictitious ditto, in globose pieces. Presented by Mr. 



D. Hanbury. 



Note. The dragon's blood of the Canary Islands is produced by 

 Dracaena Draco, L., which see. The Sumatran dragon's blood, produced 

 by Calamus draco, may be distinguished from the other kinds by con- 

 taining little shell-like scales, and by giving off, when heated on the 

 point of a knife, irritating fumes of benzoic acid. See Pharmacographia, 

 p. 613. Fictitious dragon's blood differs in shape, and in its resin-like 

 odour when broken. Hist, des Dreg., t. ii., p. 139. 



612. CERQXYLON ANDICOLA, H. B. (Wax Palm.) 



a. Wax, as scraped from the trunk. Presented by Dr. 

 Lindley. 



