STONEROOT 579 



Inner Structure. An outer strata of lamellar cork, i.e., com- 

 posed of layers of different width alternating with each other, the 

 walls being yellowish brown ; cortex composed of a few rows of more 

 or less tabular or rectangular cells containing starch; stele cylindri- 

 cal consisting of small collateral fibrovascular bundles, separated by 

 very broad strands of radially elongated, starch-bearing parenchyma, 

 the walls being strongly lignified ; pith large, composed of polyhedral 

 parenchyma cells, having moderately thick and strongly lignified 

 walls. Starch grains numerous, mostly single, occasionally 2-com- 

 pound, the individual grains from 0.002 to 0.025 mm. in length and 

 varying greatly in shape from narrow cylindrical, more or less ellip- 

 soidal, to pear-shaped, fusiform and reniform grains. The hardness 

 of the root is due to the large amount of lignified tissue. 



Constituents. A saponin-like glucoside; a resin soluble in ether, 

 partly soluble in alcohol; also organic acids; tannic acid; mucilage 

 and wax. 



Adulteration. A rhizome of unknown origin is occasionally seen 

 on the market, which is horizontal, slightly branched, from 2 to 4 cm. 

 in length and 1 cm. in thickness ; externally purplish-brown, distinctly 

 annulate and deeply wrinkled, having on the upper surface a number 

 of short stem-branches or large circular concave stem-scars; lower 

 and side portions with numerous circular reddish root scars and short 

 roots; internally brownish-red having a thin cortex, a narrow, dis- 

 tinctly radiate wood, and a large depressed pith; inodorous and 

 slightly pungent. 



The inner structure shows an outer epidermal layer; a hypodermal 

 layer of narrow tangentially elongated cells, having a light reddish- 

 brown amorphous content; a rather thin cortex composed of starch- 

 bearing parenchyma, having also a reddish-brown content, and cells 

 containing rosette aggregates of calcium oxalate; the xylem con- 

 sists of narrow wedges of tracheae and wood fibers, separated by very 

 broad rays of parenchyma cells containing the same contents as the 

 cortical parenchyma; pith composed of parenchyma, resembling that 

 of the cortex; calcium oxalate crystals, numerous, in rosette aggre- 

 gates, from 0.010 to 0.025 mm. in diameter; starch grains single, 

 from 0.005 to 0.020 mm. in diameter, mostly narrow-ellipsoidal or 

 spindle-shaped, varying from spheroidal to fusiform and often very 

 irregular. 



Literature. Holm, Merck's Report, 1909, p. 87 ; Lochman, Amer. 

 Jour. Pharm., 1885, p. 228. 



