PETALA ROS^ CENTIFOLLE. 261 



by ether. According to Rochleder (1867), the gallic acid in red roses is 

 accompanied by quercitannic acid. 



The colouring matter which is so striking a constituent of the petals, 

 is according to Senier an acid, which appears to form crj'stallizable 

 salts with potassium and sodium.^ An infusion of the petals is pale 

 red, but becomes immediately of a deep and brilliant crimson if we add 

 to it an acid, such as sulphuric, hydrocliloric, acetic, oxalic, or tartaric. 

 An alkali changes the pale red, or the deep crimson in the case of the 

 acidulated infusion, to bright green. 



Uses — An infusion of red rose petals, acidulated with sulphuric 

 acid and slightly sweetened, is a very common and agreeable vehicle 

 for some other medicines. The confection made by beating up the 

 petals with sugar, is also in use. 



PETALA ROS^ CENTIFOLI^. 



Flores Rosoe pallidcB v. incarnatce ; Provence Rose, Cabbage Rose ; 

 F. Petales de Roses pales ; G. Centifolienrosen. 



Botanical Origin — Rosa centifolia L. — This rose grows in a wild 

 state and with single flowers in the eastern part of the Caucasus.- Cul- 

 tivated and with flowers more or less double, it is found under an infinity 

 of varieties in all the temperate regions of the globe. The particular 

 variety which is grown in England for medicinal use, is known in 

 English gardens as the Cabbage Rose, but other varieties are cultivated 

 for similar purposes on the Continent. 



R. centifolia L. is very closely allied to R. gallica L. ; though 

 Boissier maintains the two species, there are other botanists who regard 

 them as but one. The rose cultivated at Puteaux near Paris for drug- 

 gists' use, and hence called Rose de Puteaux, is the Rosa bifera of 

 Redoute, placed by De CandoUe though doubtfully under R. 

 damascena. 



History — We are unable to trace the history of the particular 

 variety of rose under notice. That it is not of recent origin, seems 

 evident from its occurrence chiefly in old gardens. The Rosa jpallida 

 of the older English writers on drugs ^ was called Damask Rose, but 

 that name is now applied at Mitcham to Rosa gallica L., which has 

 very deep-coloured flowers. 



Production — The Cabbage Rose is cultivated in England to a very 

 small extent, rose water, which is made from its flowers, being procur- 

 able of better quality and at a lower cost in other countries, especially 

 in the south of France. At Mitcham, whence the London druggists 

 have long been supplied, there are now (1873) only about 8 acres 

 planted with this rose, but a supply is also derived from the market 

 gardens of Putney, Hammersmith and Fulham. 



Description — The Cabbage Rose is supplied to the druggists in the 

 fresh state, full blown, and picked ofi" close below the calyx. A complete 



^ Yearbook of Pharm. 1877. 63 ; also » Boissier, Flora Orientalis, ii. (1872) 676. 



Filhol in Joiirn. de Phai-m. xxxviii. (1860) « As Dale, Pharmacologia, 1693. 416. 



21 ; Gmelin, Chemistry, xvi. (1864) 522. 



