298 



SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



are somewhat narrower and more or less conical. For the distin- 

 guishing characteristics of these and other seed-coats, consult Fig. 134. 



Literature. Tschirch, Handbuch der Pharmakognosie, p. 605. 



PRUNUS VIRGINIANA. Wild Black Cherry Bark. The bark 

 of the stem and branches of Prunus serotina Ehrhart (Syn. Prunus 

 virginiana Miller) (Fam. Rosacese), a tree indigenous to the eastern 

 and central United States and Canada. The bark is collected in 



FIG. 134. Epidermal cells of the seed-coat of: 1, almond; 2, peach; 3, apricot; 

 4, plum; 5, prune. After Hanning. 



autumn, and should be carefully dried and preserved in air-tight 

 containers. 



Description. Usually in transversely curved pieces 2.5 to 8 cm. 

 in length, 1 to 5 cm. in diameter, 0.5 to 4 mm. in thickness; outer 

 surface light brown or greenish-brown, somewhat glabrous, with 

 numerous lenticels 3 to 4 mm. in length; inner surface light brown, 

 longitudinally striate and occasionally fissured; fracture short, 

 granular; cork dark brown, thin, easily separable from the green 

 phelloderm, inner bark porous and granular; odor of the drug dis- 



