132 



ORCHIDACE.E 



at the base, where they are curved more or less into a hook; flexible; 

 externally finely furrowed longitudinally, dark brown, shining, 

 unctuous, often covered with an incrustation of fine, acicular crystals 

 of vanillin;* they split lengthwise into two unequal valves, showing 

 numerous minute, lenticular, glossy black seeds imbedded in a black, 

 oily pulp, which also contains shining, acicular crystals. The pecu- 

 liar, strong, aromatic odor resides chiefly in the pulp; taste warm, 

 aromatic, sweetish. 



CONSTITUENTS. The aroma of vanilla, chiefly depends upon a crystalline 

 principle, Vanillin 87 a (U.S.P.) (C 6 H 3 .OH.OCH 3 .CHO, m-methoxy- 

 p-oxybenzaldehyde), which does not exist in the green pods, but is 



FIG. 51. Bourbon 

 Vanilla. 



FIG. 52. Mexi- 

 can Vanilla. 



FIG. S3- Tahiti 



. S3- T 



Vanilla. 



FIG. 54. Wild Vanilla. 



developed during the process of curing, and forms the frosty inflores- 

 cence upon their surface. It is found in many other plants, being 

 first made artificially from coniferin, a glucoside found in the cam- 

 bium of the pine; it is now largely made from oil of cloves by re- 

 actions upon the eugenol. 



Preparation of Vanillin. Treat alcoholic extract with ether, evapo- 

 rate, and treat residue with boiling water, when needles of vanillin are 

 deposited. Prepared artificially on large scale from coniferin, CioH^Os + 

 2H 2 O, a compound occurring in the sap of the cambium in the Conif erae. 

 This is first fermented and finally oxidized. 

 ACTION AND USES. Carminative, stimulant, aphrodisiac, anti-hysteric. 



* An adulteration of benzpic acid crystals can be detected by the latter having rhomboidal form 

 as well as characteristic reactions. 



