RED ROSE 305 



mm. in length, the upper portion very pubescent, styles exserted, 

 about as long as the ovary, stigma large, compressed, with prominent 

 papillae; fruit an ovoid achene, about 2 mm. in diameter, inclosed by 

 the remains of the calyx; odor slight; taste bitter and acrid. 



Powder. Light brown; calcium oxalate in rosette aggregates, 

 about 0.020 mm. in diameter; non-glandular hairs 1-celled, curved, 

 thick-walled, 0.2 to 0.5 mm. in length; glandular hairs with 2- or 

 3-celled stalk, glandular head unicellular or consisting of one or two 

 pairs of cells; tracheae spiral, scalariform, or with bordered pores; 

 sclerenchymatous fibers long, thick-walled, strongly lignified, with 

 numerous simple oblique pores; parenchyma of pith more or less 

 lignified and with simple pores; pollen grains few, somewhat ellip- 

 soidal, 0.025 to 0.040 mm. in diameter, with- three pores. 



Constituents. The active principle appears to be an amorphous 

 substance cosotoxin; several other principles have been isolated, 

 but their real nature and properties have not been fully determined; 

 the drug also contains about 3 per cent of an inactive crystalline prin- 

 ciple, cosin (koussein or brayerin), which is bitter and acrid, and 

 sparingly soluble in water but soluble in alcohol; a crystalline prin- 

 ciple which on hydrolysis yields isobutyric acid; about 6 per cent of 

 a resinous principle; volatile oil; tannin about 24 per cent, and about 

 5 per cent of ash. 



Adulterants. Sometimes the flowers are stripped from the 

 panicles and sold as such, when the drug is known as " loose cusso." 

 In this condition they are likely to be admixed with the staminate 

 flowers, which, with their numerous stamens, are readily distinguish- 

 able and are inferior in quality. 



ROSA GALLICA. Red Rose. The petals of Rosa gallica (Fam. 

 Rosacese), a shrub indigenous to southern Europe and probably 

 western Asia, and extensively cultivated in all parts of the world. 

 The petals are obtained from cultivated plants before the expansion 

 of the flower, the lower clawed portion usually being removed; 

 they are used fresh or are carefully dried and preserved. The chief 

 supply of the drug is from the southern portion of France. 



Description. Imbricated, numerous, usually in small cones; 

 petals broadly ovate, the upper part rose-colored and retuse, the 

 lower part brownish-red, more or less rounded, acute or truncate, 

 with numerous papillae and fine longitudinal veins; texture velvety; 

 odor agreeable; taste astringent and slightly bitter. 



Inner Structure. (Fig. 138.) The upper epidermal cells modi- 

 fied to conical papillae and containing a purplish-red cell sap, a loose 

 mesophyll composed of 2 to 10 rows of cells, in among which are the 



