134 



FRUITS 



Constituents. Both the seed and the pericarp contain numerous 

 oil-cells in which a volatile oil (1*0 to 2*3 per cent.), a resin, and a 

 crystalline alkaloid, piperine (5*0 to 8*25 per cent.), are contained. 

 The volatile oil consists almost entirely of terpenes. The resin, 

 which has been termed chavicin, and to which the pungency of pepper 

 is chiefly due, has not been sufficiently examined. The alkaloid 

 piperine, C 17 H 19 NO 3 , forms colourless and odourless crystals, which 

 are at first tasteless, but subsequently pungent ; heated with alcoholic 

 solution of potassium hydroxide it is split up into piperic acid and 

 piperidine. 



The seeds contain, further, a large quantity of starch in minute 

 angular grains united into polygonal masses. Black 

 pepper yields from 4'0 to 7'0 per cent, of ash. 



Varieties, &c. White Pepper is of about the same 

 size and shape as black. The surface is greyish white 

 in colour, and nearly smooth. From the base to the 

 apex there run about sixteen light lines ; these are the 

 fibro- vascular bundles that traverse the pericarp ; they 

 are left, together with the inner part of the pericarp, 

 attached to the seed when the outer part of the fruit is 

 removed. By gently scraping white pepper the ad- 

 herent part of the pericarp can be removed and the 

 dark brown seed disclosed ; the latter possesses the 

 characters above described. It contains from 4 to 6 '5 

 per cent, of piperine. 



Long Pepper. Long pepper is the dried unripe 

 andCollin.) fruit of p iper o ffi c i n arum, Casimir de Candolle, and 

 is exported chiefly from Java. It consists of a large 

 number of minute sessile fruits which, together with the bracts 

 that support them, are crowded together on and partially em- 

 bedded in an elongated axis so as to form a dense spike. Each 

 spike is about 40 mm. long and 6 mm. thick ; it is nearly 

 cylindrical, tapering to a rounded apex, and often covered with a 

 greyish powder. When washed free from this the spikes are seen 

 to be reddish brown in colour, and the minute fruits are then more 

 easily visible ; they are arranged in a close spiral, and each bears 

 the remains of the stigma at its apex. Cut transversely, the section 

 of the spike shows eight or ten fruits with starchy perisperm arranged 

 around a central axis. 



The taste and odour resemble those of black pepper, but are not 

 so strong. The active constituents are the same, but they are present 

 in smaller proportion (volatile oil 1*0 per cent., piperine 6-2 per 

 cent.). 



The student should cut long pepper transversely and observe 

 the minute fruits, which appear white and starchy in section. 



FIG. 76. Long 

 Pepper. 

 (Planchon 



