232 



BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



veins, heav}-, hard, somewhat aromatic, astringent and shghtly 

 acrid. They contain about o.i per cent, of an oily Hquid alkaloid, 

 arecoline, which chemically and in its physiological action resem- 

 bles pelletierine ; 14 per cent, of tannin, resembling catechutannic 

 acid; gallic acid; a red coloring principle; and 14 per cent, of a 

 fixed oil. They also contain 3 other alkaloids : arecaine, arecai- 

 dine and guvacine, but these do not seem to give the drug its 

 properties. 



Fig. 127. Areca Catechu (Betel-nut palm). A, upper portion of an inflorescence 

 bearing staminate flowers; B, enlarged view of staminate flower; C, 3 stamens; D, upper 

 part of ovary with 3 styles; E, a branch bearing 4 pistillate flowers in the lower portion 

 and 2 staminate flowers above; F, a pistillate flower with bracts removed showing the calyx; 

 G, an ovary with rudimentary stamen; Hi, longitudinal section through ovary; H2, the 

 same giving a magnified view of the ovule; J, section through a berry showing the fibrous 

 sarcocarp and the seed covered by reticulated branches of the raphe; K, section of seed 

 showing the ruminating endosperm with small embryo near the base. After Drude. 



Carnaub.\-wax is obtained from the Carnauba-palm of Brazil 

 (Copcriiicia ccrifcra). The wax exudes from the surface of the 

 young leaves and is obtained by boiling them with water. 

 Dragon's blood, a bright red resinous substance, is obtained 

 from the juice of the fleshy fruit of Calamus Draco. It consists 

 chiefly of resin, some tannin and about 3 per cent, of benzoic acid. 



The Oil palm (Elccis gnineensis) of equatorial West Africa 

 yields a drupe with an oily sarcocarp, from which by means of 



