622 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



mine), atropine, formed from hyoscyamine, and belladonnine, 

 formed from atropine ; a fluorescent principle ^-methyl-sesculetin 

 (atrosin or chrysatropic acid), which resembles a similar principle 

 found in gelsemium ; malic acid and calcium oxalate in the form 

 of sphenoidal micro-crystals (Fig. 287, C). 



Atropine is a powerful mydriatic alkaloid which occurs in 

 colorless or white acicular crystals that are soluble in alcohol 

 but sparingly soluble in water. It is optically inactive and may 

 be sublimed without decomposition. The aqueous solutions are, 

 however, easily decomposed, acquiring a yellow color and a dis- 

 agreeable odor. On treating atropine with nitric acid and potas- 

 sium hydrate a violet color is produced. On hydrolysis atropine 

 yields tropin and tropic acid. Upon heating atropine with nitric 

 acid so as to cause the loss of a molecule of water the alkaloid 

 APOATROPiNE (atropamine or anhydro-atropine) is formed, which 

 has been isolated from belladonna root and which does not possess 

 any mydriatic properties. On heating apoatropine with hydro- 

 chloric acid or upon simply heating it for some time alone the 

 base BELLADONNINE (oxyatropine) is formed (see Figs. 142, 341). 



The amount of alkaloids varies in difl:'erent parts of the plant 

 and has been given as follows : Roots, 0.06 per cent. ; stems, 0.04 

 per cent. ; leaves, 0.2 per cent. ; unripe berries, 0.19 per cent. ; ripe 

 berries, o.2i per cent. ; and seeds, 0.33 per cent. 



Adulterants. The leaves of Scopolia carniolica (p. 509; 

 Fig. 273) and Phytolacca decandra (Fig. 139) have been recently 

 reported as substitutes. 



STRAMONIUM. STRAMONIUM LEAVES. The leaves 

 and flowering tops of Datura Stramonium (Fam. Solan- 

 aceae), an annual herb (Fig. 267) probably indigenous to the 

 region of the Caspian Sea, naturalized in waste places in Europe 

 and North America, and cultivated in France, Germany and Hun- 

 gary (p. 372). The leaves and tops are collected when the plant 

 is in flower, and are carefully dried and preserved, the chief of 

 the commercial supply being obtained from cultivated plants. 



Description. Usually in irregular, matted fragments. Stem 

 cylindrical, flattened, longitudinally furrowed and wrinkled, 2 to 



5 mm. in diameter; internodes 1.5 to 2 cm. long. Leaves ovate, 



6 to 20 cm. long, 2 to 12 cm. broad ; apex acuminate ; base 

 unequal, one side extending 3 to 12 mm. below the other; margin 



