646 SCIENTIFIC AND APPLIED PHARMACOGNOSY 



Bolivia, a drug (see p. 383) having properties similar to those of 

 Ipecac. The roots of several of the Polygalas (Fam. Polygalacese) 

 possess emetic properties, viz. : P. scoparia of Mexico and P. angulata 

 of Brazil (see p. 389). The root of the latter plant, which is also 

 known as White Ipecac (Poaya blanca) resembles senega, is free 

 from starch and contains considerable saponin. 



Substitutes of Ipecac. The root of Richardsonia scabra has 

 simple and compound starch grains from 0.020 to 0.040 mm. in diam- 

 eter; the root of Triosteum perfoliatum and the bark of Naregamia 

 alata contain starch grains and rosette aggregates of calcium oxalate, 

 the latter containing in addition orange-red secretion cells; the root 

 of Heteropteris pauciflora (Fam. Malpighiacese) is free from starch, 

 but contains rosette aggregates of calcium oxalate, brown pigment 

 cells and stone cells. 



Literature. Schneider, Jour, of Pharmacology, 1897, p. 1; Paul 

 and Cownley, Amer. Jour. Phar., 1901, pp. 57 and 107; Zornig, 

 Arzneidrogen. 



SEMEN COFFEE. Coffee Seed or Coffee Bean. The ripe seeds 

 of Coffea arabica (Fam. Rubiacese), a small evergreen tree or shrub 

 with lanceolate, acuminate, entire, slightly coriaceous, dark green, 

 short-petiolate leaves, which are partly united with the short inter- 

 petiolar stipules at the base. The flowers are white, fragrant, and 

 occur in axillary clusters. The fruit is a small, spheroidal or ellip- 

 soidal drupe with two locules, each containing one seed, or coffee 

 bean. The coffee plant is indigenous to Abyssinia and other parts 

 of eastern Africa, and is widely cultivated in tropical countries, 

 notably in Java, Sumatra, Ceylon, and Central and South America, 

 particularly Brazil, over 600,000 tons being produced annually in 

 the latter country. The yield of one tree is between 0.5 and 5 K. 

 There are two methods of freeing the seeds from the parchment-like 

 endocarp: (a), the fruits are allowed to dry and are then broken; in 

 (6), which is known as the wet method, the sarcocarp is removed by 

 means of a machine, and the two seeds with the parchment-like 

 endocarp are allowed to dry in such a manner as to undergo a fer- 

 mentation, and after drying the endocarp is removed. The green 

 seeds are sent into commerce and roasted. This process causes the 

 seeds to swell, changes their color to dark brown, and develops the 

 characteristic odor and flavor due to the formation of caffeol and 

 other substances. 



Description. Elliptical, plano-convex, about 10 mm. in length 

 and 8 mm. in width; externally dark brown, smooth, having on the 

 flattened side a longitudinal or somewhat curved cleft, due to the 



