ACACIA 249 



ACACIA BARK 



(Acacia Bark) 



Source, &C. The dried bark of Acacia arabica, Willdenow, or of 

 A. decurrens, Willdenow (N.O. Leguminosce). Both of these species 

 are large trees, the former indigenous to India, Arabia, and Africa, 

 the latter to Australia. Both are largely cultivated for their bark 

 which is much used in the tanning industries. The bark should be 

 obtained from trees at least seven years old and be kept for one year 

 before use. 



Description. Acacia arabica (babul bark) occurs in rather large 

 pieces, hard and woody, rusty brown, readily dividing into several 

 layers. Periderm thick, blackish, rugged, fissured longitudinally 

 and transversely. Inner surface red, longitudinally striated and 

 fibrous ; taste astringent and mucilaginous. 



Acacia decurrens occurs usually in curved or channelled pieces 

 1-5 to 3-0 mm. thick, externally greyish brown, becoming darker 

 when kept, often with irregular longitudinal ridges and transverse 

 cracks ; inner surface reddish brown, longitudinally striated ; fracture 

 coarsely fibrous ; freshly fractured surface pale. 



Constituents. Both barks contain tannin (about 22 per cent.) and 

 gallic acid. 



Uses. As an astringent. 



SASSY BARK 

 (Red Water Bark, Cortex Erythrophlei) 



Source, &C. Sassy bark is derived from Eryihrophleum guineense, 

 G. Don (N.O. Leguminosce), a large tree widely distributed on the 

 west coast of Africa (Upper Guinea and Senegambia). Possibly 

 other species than E. guineense yield the sassy bark of commerce, as 

 certain differences have been observed in the alkaloid obtained from 

 the bark imported at different times. 



It has poisonous, emetic, and purgative properties, and is used 

 by the West African negroes as an ordeal poison. 



The bark is collected from the trunk as well as from the larger'and 

 smaller branches. 



Description. Sassy bark varies exceedingly in size and thickness 

 according to the age of the stem or branch from which it has been 

 collected. Most common are hard heavy curved or flat pieces about 

 8 or 10 cm. long, 4 to 8 cm. wide, 1 and about 5 to 10 cm. thick ; but 

 small quills, not 1-5 cm, in diameter, may sometimes be found. 



