466 



BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



mm. in diameter, 2 to 10 mm. thick ; externally, bark dark brown, 

 more or less wrinkled ; fracture fibrous, tough ; internally light 

 brown, characterized by alternating zones of collateral fibrovas- 

 cular bundles and parenchyma formed by secondary cambiums ; 

 odor slight; taste acrid. (Fig. 200). 



Constituents. A bitter, acrid glucoside resembling saponin ; 

 a crystalline alkaloid phytolaccine, which is soluble in alcohol and 



Fig. 201. Apocynmn androscBmifoliutn: A, flowering branch; B, a fruit consisting of 2 

 follicles; E, flower; G, longitudinal section of flower; H, single stamen with long spurs (s) ; 

 J, multicellular hair from leaf; K, tracheae with bordered pores (t) and wood fibers (w) ; I., 

 a few bast fibers and adjoining parenchyma cells containing starch. Apocynum cannahiniim: 

 C, two of the opposite, nearly sessile leaves; D, fruit; F, flower; 1, seed with coma of long. 

 1-celled, hyaline hairs. 



sparingly soluble in water ; sugars lo per cent. : starch lo per 

 cent. ; phytolaccic acid ; formic acid ; potassium formate 2 per 

 cent. ; calcium oxalate 6 per cent. ; and ash 13 per cent., of which 

 about one-half is potassium oxide. 



Phytolacca Fructus or Phytolacca Fruit occurs in agglu- 

 tinated masses of a purplish-black color, and consisting of the 

 compound berries, which are about 8 mm. in diameter and com- 



