WITCH-HAZEL 39 



the midrib is prominent, and the lateral veins, which are also very 

 distinct, branch from it at an acute angle, and run straight to and 

 terminate in the crenations of the margin. In the angles thus formed 

 and on the veins, hairs, which will be seen under the lens to have 

 a characteristic branching form, are usually to be found ; they are 

 more frequent on young leaves, very young leaves being brown in 

 colour and densely hairy. The leaves have only a slight odour, 

 but a decidedly astringent 

 and somewhat bitter taste. 

 The student should observe 



(a) The sinuate margin, 

 (6) The lateral veins run- 

 ning straight to the margin, 

 (c) The branching hairs. 



Constituents. Witch-hazel 

 leaves have not yet been 

 subjected to careful analysis. 

 They contain gallic acid, tan- 

 nin, a bitter principle, and a 

 trace of volatile oil. By dis- 

 tilling the fresh or dry leaves 

 with water or dilute alcohol, 

 a distillate is obtained pos- 

 sessing a distinct aroma, 

 different from that of the 

 leaves themselves, due pro- 

 bably to some product of 

 decomposition. The official 

 Liquor Hamamelidis, which 

 is made by macerating the 

 fresh leaves with dilute alco- 

 hol and distilling, contains, 



in addition to the aromatic body alluded to, a trace of protocatechuic 

 acid. 



Hamamelin is a mixture of substances obtained by extracting the 

 leaves, or sometimes the bark,with strong alcohol and evaporating 

 the tincture thus obtained. 



The autumnal leaves are said to contain most tannin and to be 

 distinguishable by the hairs, which have thicker walls, are yellow 

 in colour, and devoid of contents (Cooley, 1900). 



Uses. Witch-hazel leaves are astringent and haemostatic ; they 

 are useful as a local application in haemorrhage from the nose, &c. 



FIG. 26. Witch-hazel leaf. 



