530 



SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



Powder. Grayish-brown; starch grains spheroidal or slightly 

 polygonal, from 0.002 to 0.006 mm. in diameter; fragments con- 

 taining lignified tracheae and tracheids conspicuous; fragments of 

 tracheae with spiral thickenings relatively few; bast fibers few, very 





FIG. 226. A, transverse section of the root of Spigelia marilandica: a, epidermis; 



b, cortex; d, xylem; 'e, cambium; i, pith; j, endodermis; I, pericycle B, 

 transverse section of the root of Ruellia ciliosa: a, epidermis; b, cortex; 



c, bast fibers; d, xylem; j, endodermis; I, pericycle; m, cystoliths; n, collen- 

 chyma; o, sclereids or elongated stone cells. After Stockberger. 



long, non-lignified ; occasional fragments of the reddish-brown 

 epidermal cells. 



Constituents. A crystalline, volatile alkaloid, spigeline, which 

 somewhat resembles coniine and nicotine and which forms precipi- 



