CROCUS. 663 



produce of Iris gei^ianica L. (/. nepalensis Wall.), which, according to 

 Hooker, is cultivated ia Kashmir. Orris root of rather low quality is 

 now often imported from Morocco ; it is obtained, we believe, exclusively 

 from /. germanica. 



Microscopic Structure — On transverse section, the white bark 

 about 2 mm. broad, is seen to be separated by a fine brown line from 

 the faintly yellowish woody tissue. The latter is traversed by 

 numerous vascular bundles, in diffuse and irregular rings, and exhibits 

 here and there small shining crystals of oxalate of calcium. It is 

 made up uniformly of large thick-walled spherical porous cells, loaded 

 with starch granules, which are oval, rather large and very numerous ; 

 prisms of calcium oxalate are also visible. The latter were noticed 

 already by one of the earliest microscopic observers, Anton van Leeu- 

 Avenlioek, about the year 1716. The spiral vessels are small and run 

 in very various directions. The foregoing description is applicable to 

 any one of the three species we have named. 



Chemical Composition — When orris root is distilled with water, 

 a crystalline substance, called Orris Gamiphor, is found floating on the 

 aqueous distillate. This substance, which we first obtained from the 

 laboratory of Messrs. Herrings & Co. of London, is yielded, as we learn 

 from Mr. Umney, to the extent of 012 per cent. — that is to say, 3 cwt. 

 3 qrs. 23 lb. of rhizome afforded of it 8J ounces.^ Messrs. Schimmel & 

 Co. of Leipzig also presented us with the same substance, of which they 

 obtain usually 0"60 to 0'80 per cent. Orris camphor has the exquisite 

 and persistent fragrance of the drug ; we have proved - that this pre- 

 sumed stearoptene or camphor of "orris root consists of niyristic acid, 

 Q14JJ28Q2 ^ggg page 508), impregnated with the minute quantity of essential 

 oil occurring in the drug. The oil itself would appear not to preexist 

 in the living root, but to be formed on drying it. 



By exhausting orris root with spirit of wine, a soft brownish resin is 

 obtained, together with a little tannic matter. The resin has a slightly 

 acrid taste ; the tannin strikes a green colour with persalts of iron. 



Commerce — Orris root is shipped from Leghorn, Trieste and 

 Mogador, — from the last-named port to the extent in 1876 of 

 834 cwt.^ There are no data to show the total imports into Great 

 Britain. France imported in the year 1870 about 50 tons of orris 

 root. 



Uses — Frequently employed as an ingredient in tooth-powders, and 

 in France for making issue-peas ; but the chief application is as a 

 perfume. 



CROCUS. 



Groci stigmata; Saffron*; F. and G. Saffran. 



Botanical Origin — Crocus sativus L., a small plant with a fleshy 

 bulb-like corm and grassy leaves, much resembling the common Spring 



^ The produce of some previous opera- ^ Consular Reports, 1876. 1416. 



tions, in which 23 cwt. of orris was distilled, ■* The word Saffron is derived from the 



afforded but little over one-tenth per cent. Arabic Asfar, yellow. 



2 Pharm. Journ. vii. (1876) 130. 



