IRIS 113 



also contains another glucoside, picrorocin, which is soluble in ether, 

 forms prismatic crystals and yields on hydrolysis a volatile oil. 

 The latter may be obtained on distillation to the extent of 1 per cent 

 and possesses when freshly distilled a yellowish color and the odor of 

 saffron. It also contains a hydrocarbon of the methane series, a 

 wax, a fixed oil and dextrose. The ash, which is rich in phosphoric 

 acid, varies from 4.5 to 7.5 per cent. The commercial article should 

 not contain more than 14 per cent of moisture. 



Standard of Purity. Saffron is the dried stigma of Crocus sativus 

 L. It contains not more than 10 per cent of yellow styles and other 

 foreign matter, not more than 14 per cent of volatile matter when 

 dried at 100 C., not more than 6 per cent of total ash, nor more than 

 1 per cent of ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid. (U. S. Dept. Agric.) 



Adulterants. A large number of vegetable, mineral and animal 

 substances and also dye stuffs have been employed to adulterate, 

 saffron. It is frequently confused with and substituted by safflower 

 (Carthamus tinctorius) a plant of the Compositae, the tubular flowers 

 of which are sold under the name of " American saffron." The latter 

 are readily distinguished by their corollas possessing very long slender 

 yellow tubes and five bright red lobes. The pollen grains are very 

 numerous, somewhat triangular in shape, the surface being very 

 prickly (Fig. 44). 



The ligulate flowers of Calendula are sometimes colored with 

 one of the red dyes as hsematoxylin, safranin or fuchsin and employed 

 to adulterate saffron. These are distinguished by their rather broad 

 ligulate corollas having 4 prominent veins and 4 teeth at the summit. 

 The epidermal cells contain characteristic yellowish oily drops 

 (Fig. 44). 



Literature. Kraemer, Amer. Jour. Pharm., 1898, p. 386; Zornig, 

 Arzneidrogen; Valdiguie, Bot. Abstracts, 1918, 1, p. 179. 



IRIS. Larger Blue Flag, Water or Poison Flag. The dried 

 rhizome and roots of Iris versicolor (Fam. Iridacese), one of the 

 most common Monocotyledons in the United States. The plant 

 is a perennial herb, with long sword-shaped or grassy leaves and 

 possesses large violet-blue flowers. It grows in wet places and pro- 

 duces a thick fleshy rhizome. The latter is collected, freed from the 

 scaly decayed leaves and dried. 



Description. Rhizome cylindrical, more or less flattened, occa- 

 sionally branched; outer surface annulate with numerous stem scars 

 on the upper surface and numerous root scars on the lateral and 

 under portions. Usually cut lengthwise into pieces 2.5 to 10 cm. in 

 length and 5 to 20 mm. in diameter; externally grayish-brown to 



