286 



EUPHOKBIACE.E 



3ii. CASCARILLA, N.F. CASCARILLA BARK. The bark of Cro'ton elute'ria 

 Bennet. Small broken quills having a grayish fissured cork, more or less 

 covered with white lichen patches, but often partially or wholly removed, 

 showing the dull brown inner bark; inner surface smooth; bast fibers few; 

 . fracture short, resinous; odor -feeble, stronger when rubbed; when ignited, it 

 emits a strongly aromatic odor, somewhat resembling musk, but weaker and 

 more agreeable; taste warm, aromatic, very bitter. Copalchi bark (see 

 also Aspidosperma, 353) has a cascarilla-like odor, and melambo bark, 

 from Croton Melambo, Venezuela, and other species of Croton, are similar 

 to cascarilla. Constituents: Volatile oil (1.5 to 3 per cent.); cascarillin (a 



FIG. 163. Croton eluteria Branch. 



bitter crystalline principle), tannin, fat, resin, etc. Aromatic, stimulant, 

 and tonic. Once used as a febrifuge as a substitute for cinchona. Dose: 15 

 to 30 gr. (i to 2 Gm.). 



312. RICINUS. CASTOR-OIL SEED. The seeds of Rici'nus commu'nis Linne" 

 (Palma Christi), a herbaceous plant about 4 to 6 feet in height, native to 

 India, but cultivated in tropical and warm temperature countries; stems 

 hollow, purplish-red; leaves large, palmately 9-divided, on long petioles, 

 with glands at the apex of the petiole ; flowers monoecious, in terminal panicles, 

 the lower ones male, the upper female; male flowers stamens numerous; 

 female flowers style I, stigma 3, colored red; capsule covered with prickles, 

 3-celled, each cell containing one seed. 



