438 POWDERED VEGETABLE DRUGS 



150. (Fig. 148.) PHYTOLACCA. Phytolacca Root. 



Fl. ex. 60. Tinct. 50. 



Pokeroot, E. Kermesbeerenwurzel G. Racine de phytolaque, Fr. 

 Origin as for 149. 



Pale brown. 



Faint odor; recalling taraxacum. 



Sweetish, pungent. 



Brownish cork tissue; collenchymatous parenchyma. Parenchyma 

 large celled, mostly tangentially flattened, walls collapsed and cells 

 variable in size and thickness of walls. Tracheids and large porous to 

 nearly scalariform ducts. Some simple and compound (in twos, the 

 two granules not evenly united) starch granules. The hili of the starch 

 granules are quite distinct and are somewhat excentric, in that regard 

 resembling those of belladonna root, they measure from 10 to 25/z in 

 diameter, the polarizing bands are distinct. The parts of the com- 

 pound granules are easily separated, so that the simple granules appear 

 to predominate in the powder. The eccentricity of the hili is some- 

 what more marked in phytolacca than in belladonna. Some paren- 

 chyma cells filled with short acicular crystals of calcium oxalate. 



Ash 14 per cent. 



Not generally adulterated, but is much used for the purpose of 

 adulterating other roots, belladonna roots in particular. Until within 

 recent years the adulteration of belladonna by means of pokeroot was 

 the rule rather than the exception. The adulteration is very readily 

 detected by means of the compound microscope because of the fact 

 that the poke root contains numerous acicular crystals of calcium 

 oxalate which are wholly wanting in belladonna. 



