406 POWDERED VEGETABLE DRUGS 



132. (Figs. 131 and 132.) MACIS. Mace. 



Moderately fine. 



Muskatbliithe, Macis, G. Macis, Fleur de muscade, Fr. 



The arillode of the seeds of M yristica fragrans L., Myristicaceae. 



Light yellowish brown; oily. 



Delicate nutmeg odor. 



Pungent, somewhat bitter. 



Epidermal cells elongated with diagonal end walls, cuticle very 

 thick. In transverse view epidermal cells appear somewhat tangen- 

 tially flattened. Parenchyma cells rather small and thin walled, closely 

 united and filled with fat and granules of amylodextrin, no starch. 

 Distributed through the parenchyma are much larger resin-bearing 

 cells. Vascular tissue very deficient (reticulate ducts.) 



Ash 2 per cent. 



Adulterated with wild or false mace, which differs in that the 

 epidermal cells in transverse view appear rectangular, somewhat 

 elongated vertically, never tangentially flattened. Amylodextrin 

 granules larger, more rectangular. With concentrated sulfuric acid 

 or potassium hydrate solution, false mace turns deep red, true mace 

 yellowish. 



