248 POWDERED VEGETABLE DRUGS 



32. (Fig. 61.) CAFFEA. Coffee. 



Roasted; in coarse powder. 



Kaffee, G. Cafe*, Fr. 



The seeds of Caffea arabica L., Rubiaceae. 



Very dark brown. Unroasted, very pale green. 



Very aromatic. Coffee odor. 



Somewhat bitter and astringent. 



Seed coat consists of a very thin walled parenchyma and bast like 

 sclerenchyma cells; endosperm tissue consists of thick walled porous 

 cells bearing proteid granules and fat. Mount sections or a pinch of 

 the powder in water, heat for a few moments and allow the water to 

 evaporate and add a drop of benzol. On evaporation of the benzol, 

 fine acicular crystals of caffeine will appear. 



Ash, unroasted bean, 5 per cent. 



Ash, roasted bean, 1.81 per cent. 



Ground roasted coffee adulterated with a great variety of sub- 

 stances, among others roasted and ground chicory, beet roots, carrot 

 roots, figs, prunes, and cereals. 



