80 



FLOWERS 



The bulk of the flowers produced are used for the distillation of 

 the volatile oil. The spikes are cut with a small hook about 15 to 

 30 cm. below the flowers. They are then thrown into large stills, 

 water added, and distillation conducted over a naked fire or by steam, 

 the distillate being received in a separating can, 'in which the oil that 

 is carried over is retained. 



Description. The inflorescence of the lavender is a terminal spike, 

 on which the flowers are arranged in small verticillasters, each of 

 which arises from the axil of a rhomboidal bract. The calyx is tubular 

 and ribbed, bluish-violet in colour, five-toothed, and hairy, shining 

 oil-glands being visible with a lens amongst the hairs. The bulk 

 of the oil yielded by the flowers is contained in these glands on the 



calyx. The corolla is bilabiate 

 and of a beautiful bluish violet 

 colour. 



The student should observe 



(a) The hairy, ribbed, 



tubular calyx, 



(b) The rhomboidal bracts 



supporting the 

 flowers. 



Constituents. The principal 

 constituent is the volatile oil, 



of which the fresh flowers yield 

 FIG. 46. Lavandula vera. A, entire flower, about Q . 5 cent 

 showing bract and hairy calyx, magni- 

 fied. B, the corolla opened vertically, The chief constituents of the 

 magnified. (Luerssen.) volatile oil are linalool and linalyl 



acetate ; cineol (in English oil), 



pinene, limonene, and other bodies are also present. The oil should have a sp. 

 gr. of 0-885 to 0-900 and an optical rotation 5 to 10. English oil contains 

 from 7 to 11 per cent, of esters, foreign oil not less than 30. 



Substitutes, &c. Lavandula spica, de Candolle, is distinguished 

 from the true lavender by the linear bracts, spathulate leaves and 

 more compressed inflorescence. The oil (oil of spike) is less fragrant 

 than that of the true lavender, and slightly dextrorotatory. 



SAFFRON 



(Crocus) 



Source, &c. The saffron crocus, Crocus sativus, Linne (N.O. Iridece), 

 has been cultivated for so many centuries that its native country 

 is no longer known. It was well known to the Greeks and Romans, 

 who used it as a medicine, as a dye, and as a flavouring agent. It 



