SAFFRON 



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was cultivated in Spain in the tenth century, and was subsequently 

 introduced into France and England ; it is, however, no longer grown 

 in this country. 



At the present time Spain produces the bulk of European saffron. 

 On the plains towards the east and south-east the saffron crocus is 

 grown extensively, the saffron being exported from Valencia and 

 Alicante. A little is also produced in. France, near Pithiviers, about 

 fifty miles south of Paris, as well as in Greece and Persia. 



The plant produces in the autumn usually one or two pale purplish 

 violet flowers, not unlike the ordinary garden crocus. The long pale 

 yellow style terminates in three deep 

 red elongated stigmas (fig. 47 A), which 

 protrude from the flower and are pen- 

 dulous. The whole flower is collected 

 in the morning, spread out on mats 

 to dry partially ; then the stigmas 

 are removed and dried in sieves over 

 a low fire. This forms the hay saffron 

 of commerce, which must necessarily 

 be a valuable drug, since it takes 

 about 750 fully developed stigmas to 

 make one gramme of saffron. 



Description. Hay saffron forms a 

 loosely matted mass of dark, reddish 

 brown, flattened stigmas with a strong, 

 characteristic odour and bitterish taste. 

 When fresh it is unctuous to the touch 

 and glossy, but after 

 becomes dull and brittle. 



Thrown on the surface of water 

 the dry stigmas rapidly expand, and 

 their form can be easily studied. At 



the same time the water surrounding them slowly assumes a deep yellow 

 colour. Each stigma is about 25 mm. in length, and has the shape of a 

 long tube, narrow at the base, where it joins the style, but broadening 

 towards the upper extremity, where it is slit on the inner side. The 

 mouth of the tube is irregularly notched. The stigmas are either 

 single or attached in threes to a short portion of the pale yellow style. 



The characteristic shape of the saffron stigmas is of the greatest 

 service in the detection of adulteration ; the student should there- 

 fore soak a little saffron in water and examine it carefully with a lens. 



Constituents. Saffron contains a trace of volatile oil, a bitter principle, 

 picrocrocin, and red colouring matter, polychroite (also called crocin). 



The volatile oil consists principally of a terpene, probably associated with 

 a small quantity of an oxygenated aromatic constituent. 



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FIG. 47. A, three stigmas of Saffron 

 m &' : with a portion of the style, mag- 



nified 2 diam. B, Calendula floret, 

 magnified 1| diam. C, Safflower 

 floret, magnified 1 diam. (Vogl.) 



