HUMULtJS HOP. 



247 



the ovary, grows with it after flowering, and covers the achenium at ma- 

 turity. 



A perennial plant, with annual, angxilar, rough, twining stems, which 

 climb to the height of many feet. Leaves mostly opposite, on long, wind- 

 ing petioles, the smaller ones cordate, the larger 3- or 5-lobed, serrate, 

 veiny, and very rough. Stipules, 2 or 4 between the petioles, cvate, re- 

 flexed, persistent. Staminate flowers in loose, axillary panicles ; pistillate 

 in catkins of numerous foliaceous, 

 imbricated, concave bracts, each 2- 

 flowered, forming, in fruit, mem- 

 branaceous strobiles. The achenium, 

 fruiting calyx, etc., are covered with 

 yellow resinous grains, called liqmlin. 



Habitat. — The common hop is 

 widely distributed over most tem- 

 perate regions, growing in thickets 

 without cultivation. It is indigen- 

 ous to North America, being espe- 

 cially common in the northern and 

 western portions of the United States. 

 In some sections of the country it is 

 extensively cultivated for use in brew- 

 ing ale, beer, etc. 



Farts Used. — The strobiles — of- 

 ficial name, Humulus — Hops. The 

 glandular powder separated from the 

 strobiles — ofiicial name, Lupulinum 

 — Lupuhn. — United States Pharma- 

 copoeia. 



Constituents. — Hops have a pecu- 

 liar aromatic, somewhat narcotic odor, 

 and an aromatic, bitter, astringent taste. These properties are more strongly 

 mai'ked in lupuliu that in the strobiles after this has been separated from 

 them. Lupulin constitutes from one-tenth to one-sixth the w^eight of hops, 

 and contains, as its most important constituents, volatile oil, a peculiar 

 bitter principle, and an alkaloid having an odor somewhat resembling that 

 of conia. The scales of hops from which the lupulin has been separated 

 possess the same active principles but in smaller proportions. 



Preparations. — Of hops : Tinctura humuli — tincture of hojDS. Of lu- 

 pulin : Extractum lupulini fluidum — fluid extract of lupulin ; oleoresina 

 lupulini — oleoresin of lupulin. — United States Pharmacopccia. An infusion 

 of hops is also efiicient and is often employed. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Hops are tonic and slightly narcotic. 

 Theu- tonic influence has been found useful in debility of the digestive 



Fig. 155. — Humulus Lupulus. 



