110 SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



drop, which flowers very early in the spring), Narcissus and Agave. 

 The latter resembles the Aloe plant in its growth and general appear- 

 ance, and the best known species, Agave americana, is properly known 

 as the American aloe. The plant is frequently seen in cultivation and 

 it is commonly supposed that it does not bloom until it is 100 years 

 old, and hence is referred to as the Century plant. The notion as 

 to its flowering is erroneous, as in hot climates it will flower in a few 

 years. The Agave is among the most useful plants of Mexico, and is 

 extensively cultivated in tropical countries for its fiber. The latter 

 is obtained from the leaves, and is known in commerce as Sisal or 

 Manilla hemp. The sap of the leaves contains large quantities of 

 sugar, and is used in the manufacture of an intoxicating beverage, 

 called pulque. The inner structure of the Amaryllidacese resembles 

 that of the other monocotyledons. Calcium oxalate occurs in the 

 form of raphides in special mucilage cells and the stomate are sunk 

 below the other epidermal cells. 



Buphane Disticha. A bulbous plant (Fam. Amaryllidacese), 

 native of South Africa, where it is known as the " poison bulb." 

 The plant is stated to have been used as an " arrow-poison," and in 

 the treatment of the disease known as " red water." Chemical 

 examinations of the bulbs show them to contain a mixture of alkaloids, 

 the principal constituent of which is an amorphous, strongly basic 

 product, designated buphanine, which possesses a distinct physio- 

 logical action. It also contains a weakly basic and a water-soluble 

 alkaloid, together with a small amount of narcissine; a volatile oil; 

 acety-vanillone; pentatriacontane; a phytosterol; a phytosterol 

 glucoside; a mixture of fatty acids; chelidonic acid, and considerable 

 amounts of laevulose and copper. Power, Journ. Chem. Soc., 1911, 

 p. 1240. 



DUDACE.E, OR IRIS FAMILY 



Plants are mostly perennial herbs with erect, bilateral leaves, and 

 interesting, frequently handsome flowers. There are about 800 

 species occurring in both temperate and tropical climates. The rhi- 

 zomes are creeping as in Calamus and the fibrovascular bundles are 

 of the concentric type, being only at the beginning of their entrance 

 into the rhizome of the collateral type. Of special interest is the fact 

 that the calcium oxalate occurs in the form of long styloids, which 

 are surrounded with mucilage, and the walls of the cells in which 

 they are enclosed are suberized. 



CROCUS. True Saffron or Spanish Saffron. The stigmas of 

 Crocus sativus (Fam. Iridacese) to which may be attached portions 



