102 FRUITS 



HIPS 



(Fructus Rosae Caninae ; Fructus Cynosbati) 



Source, &C. Hips are the fresh, ripe fruits of the dog rose, Rosa 

 canina, Linne (N.O. Rosacece}, and other indigenous allied species. 



Description. The fruit of the dog rose consists of the hollowed 

 thalamus on the inner surface of which a number of achenes are borne, 

 each provided with a style and stigma, the whole forming a spurious 

 fruit distinguished by the name ' cynarrhodon.' 



The ripe fruit is ovoid, smooth and shining, and scarlet or red in 

 colour. It is crowned with five calyx-teeth, beyond which a dense 

 tuft of hair-like styles slightly protrudes. Cut longitudinally it is 

 seen to consist of a fleshy, deeply concave receptacle, on the inner 

 surface of which are borne a number of hairs as well as small, very 

 hard, harry achines. The fleshy receptacle has an agreeable acid 

 taste, and is separated for pharmaceutical use from the achenes, &c., 

 by beating the fruits in a mortar and rubbing the pulp through a 

 hair-sieve. 



The only other wild rose sufficiently common to serve as a source 

 of the fruit is the field rose, R. arvensis, Hudson ; it is distinguished 

 from the dog rose by its trailing habit and globular fruits, from which 

 the styles protrude in the form of a distinct column. 



The student should observe 



(a) The fleshy hollow receptacle, 



(6) The small hard hairy achenes within it. 



Constituents. The pulp contains citric and malic acids (3 per cent.), 

 invert sugar (11 to 15 per cent.), and tannin (2 per cent.). 



Uses. Confection of hips is occasionally used as a pill excipient, 

 or mixed with water to form an agreeable acid cough linctus. 



MYROBALANS 

 (Myrobalanum ; Black Chebulic Myrobalans) 



Source, &C. The official myrobalans, which are properly termed 

 black chebulic myrobalans, are the dried immature fruits of Terminalia 

 Chcbula, Retzius (N.O. Combretacece) , a large tree abundant in 

 northern India. The fruits are collected at varying stages of develop- 

 ment. If collected when about the size of a raisin and dried they 

 constitute the official drug ; if allowed to grow to the size of a walnut 

 they form the valuable tanning material known commercially as 

 chebulic myrobalans or simply myrobalans. 



