BUCHU 29 



The leaves contain oil-glands similar to those of short buchu, one 

 being distinctly visible in the truncate apex when examined with a 

 lens. In odour and taste they resemble short buchu ; they contain 

 mucilage and about 1 per cent, of volatile oil, which, however, as 

 previously mentioned, does not yield diosphenol when cooled. 



Barosma crenulata, Hooker. The leaves of this plant are also 

 imported from the Cape of Good Hope, but in smaller quantity than 

 either of the preceding varieties of the drug. They are rather broader 

 than the long buchu, varying in outline from lanceolate to oval- 

 oblong. The margin is minutely serrate, and the apex is blunt but 

 not recurved (as in B. betulina). In odour and taste they resemble 

 the official leaves ; they yield about 1 *6 per cent, of volatile oil, which 

 also contains diosphenol. 



Substitutes. Empleurum serrulatum, Aiton ; resemble long buchu 

 under which name they have been offered for sale ; apex acute 



FIG. 18. Buchu leaves (B. crenulata). Natural size. 



without oil gland, colour usually yellowish green, taste bitterish, odour 

 different. 



Agaihosma Cerefolium, Bartling and Wendland, A. microphylla, 

 Meyer, A. variabilis, Sonder, have a distinct anise odour ; A. chortopila, 

 Ecklon and Zeyher, has a cummin odour. 



B. Eckloniana, Bartling ; rather broader than B. crenulata, more 

 distantly crenate-serrate, apex very obtuse and without gland. 



B. venusta, Ecklon and Zeyher ; small, obovate or oblanceolate. 



B. pulchella, Bartling and Zeyher ; 7-12 mm. long, 5-8 mm. broad, 

 ovate or ovate-lanceolate, margin thickened, apex obtuse, taste 

 different. 



B. erici folia, Andr., B. succulenta, Thunberg ; leaves heath-like, 

 linear. 



B. lanceolata, Sonder ; rather narrower than B. crenulata, margin 

 entire, recurved. 



Psoralea obliqua, Meyer ; lamina oblique, apiculus recurved, veins 

 hairy. 



