INSECT FLOWERS 673 



The seeds of Quisqualis indica (Fam. Combretacese) furnish a 

 substitute for Santonica. The plant grows wild in the tropical 

 regions of Asia, America, and Africa. The best drug comes 

 from the province of Szetchouan, which furnishes it in large 

 quantities. The seeds contain an active principle resembling 

 santonin and possess anthelmintic properties. The maximum 

 dose is 7.5 g. for adults. Devenport, Schweiz. Apoth Zeitg., 1918, 

 56, p. 522. 



PYRETHRI FLORES. Insect Flowers, Pulvis Insecticidus or 

 Insect Powder. The unexpanded or partly expanded flower heads of 

 Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium and C. roseum or C. Marschallii 

 (Fam. Composites), perennial herbs (Fig. 296), resembling in habit 

 the common white or field daisy (C. Leucanthemum). The Dal- 

 matian insect powder is obtained from C. cinerariifolium, a perennial 

 herb indigenous to Dalmatia and Herzegovina, wheYe it is also 

 cultivated as well as in northern Africa, New York and California. 

 The Persian insect flowers are derived from C. roseum and C. Mar- 

 schallii, perennial herbs growing in the Caucasus regions, Armenia 

 and northern Persia. The flowers, from 2- to 6-year-old plants, are 

 collected. The stems are cut, the flower heads being torn off by a 

 combing machine, carefully dried and preserved. The finest and 

 most powerful insect powder is obtained from the closed or only 

 partly expanded flowers, providing they are properly dried and 

 preserved. 



Dalmatian Flowers. Heads hemispherical, about 12 mm. in 

 diameter, consisting of a short, rounded, conical torus or receptacle; 

 a straw-colored involucre, consisting of 2 or 3 series of scales; numer- 

 ous yellow, tubular flowers; and a circle of cream-colored ray flowers. 

 Involucral scales of 2 kinds: (a), the outer being lanceolate, having a 

 pronounced keel, somewhat hairy and of a light brown color on the 

 outer surface, and smooth, shiny and of a straw-yellow color on the 

 inner surface; (6), inner scales spatulate, much longer than the outer 

 scales and having a white membranous margin. Torus or receptacle, 

 broadly conical or somewhat flattened and rounded, grayish-yellow, 

 and somewhat roughened from the scars of the tubular florets. Ray- 

 florets ligulate, pistillate, the corolla varying in length from 1 to 2 

 cm., having about 15 delicate veins and 3 short, obtuse or rounded 

 teeth, the middle tooth often being much smaller than, the other 

 two. Disk-florets, tubular, about 6 mm. in length, perfect, having 

 a 5-lobed, yellow corolla, about 1.5 mm. in length and borne on the 

 ovary, the latter being 5-ribbed, the pappus forming a short-toothed 

 crown. Stems either wanting or attaining a length of 3 cm. and 



