CRUDE DRUGS. 455 



less regular intervals ; periderm not scaly ; bark about twice as 

 thick as that of Peruvian rhatany. 



Para Rhatany closely resembles the Savanilla variety. 



Constituents. Tannin from 8 to 20 per cent., krameric acid, 

 starch, an uncrystallizable sugar, and calcium oxalate. The tannin 

 is colored dark green with ferric salts and is in the nature of a 

 glucoside resembling the one found in Potentilla Tormciitilla 

 (Fam. Rosaceae) and ^senilis Hippocastanmn (Fam. Hippo- 

 castanaceae). The tannin also yields phloroglucin and proto- 

 catechuic acid. 



The tincture of Savanilla rhatany forms a clear solution with 

 water, which gives with alcoholic lead acetate test-solution a 

 purplish precipitate and a colorless filtrate ; the tincture of Peru- 

 vian rhatany forms a cloudy mixture with water, and gives with 

 alcoholic lead acetate test-solution a reddish-brown precipitate and 

 a light-brown filtrate. 



Allied Plants. Krameria lanceolata of the Southern United 

 States furnishes the Texas krameria, and K. cistoides of 

 Chile is the source of the Payta krameria. The root of Lcea 

 speciosa (Fam. Vitacese) of India has been used as a substitute 

 for Krameria. 



PYRETHRUM. PELLITORY. The root of Anacyclus 

 Pyrcthriim (Fam. Compositse), a perennial herb indigenous to 

 Northern Africa and Southern Europe (p. 394), the commercial 

 article coming from Algeria. The root is collected in autumn 

 and dried. 



Description. Nearly cylindrical, slightly tapering, or broken 

 into irregular pieces, 2.5 to 10 cm. long, 3 to 20 mm. in diameter; 

 externally dark brown, wrinkled and some^yhat furrowed longi- 

 tudinally, with few rootlets or rootlet-scars ; crown somewhat 

 annulate from scars of bud-scales, and sometimes tufted with 

 coarse fibers of fibrovascular tissue or with long, soft-woolly, 

 nearly straight, one-celled hairs ; fracture short and horny when 

 dry, tough when damp ; bark dark brown internally, with two 

 circular rows of secretion reservoirs, 0.5 to i mm. thick, and 

 closely adhering to the light-yellow, radiate, porous wood, in the 

 medullary rays of which secretion reservoirs are also found ; odor 

 distinct, penetrating; taste pungent, acrid. 



