ELECAMPANE 



333 



roots. Both rhizome and roots are collected when the plants are about 

 three years old and dried, the larger being often sliced longitudinally. 



Description. The drug consists of both rhizome and roots. Jhe 

 former is usually cut longitudinally, and occurs in thin, irregularly 



FIG. 171. Elecampane root. A, longitudinally cut ; B, 

 entire, with portion of the rhizome attached. (Planchon 

 and Collin.) 



rounded slices about 4 or 5 cm. in diameter. The roots vary much 

 in size, the smaller being the thickness of a pencil or even less, the 

 larger sometimes exceeding 3 cm. in diameter. They are nearly 

 cylindrical (if entire), tapering very gradually towards the tip, but 

 are seldom quite straight, usually 

 curling irregularly as they dry, 

 especially if they have been sliced. 



Both rhizome and root are hard 

 and horny, or, if slightly moist, 

 tough, and are of a dark brownish 

 grey colour externally, whitish or 

 pale brownish internally. They 

 break with a short fracture. The 

 transverse section is more or less 

 uniform in colour and exhibits a 

 number of shining, brown oil-glands 

 scattered over the whole of the 

 surface, both in the bark and in 

 the central portion (wood) which 

 is separated from it by a dark 

 and often very indistinct cambium 

 line. In the wood small, radially 

 elongated groups of vessels occur, 

 but are difficult to discern with a lens. The root has an agreeable 

 aromatic odour and an aromatic, slightly bitter taste. 



The student should observe 



(a) The horny (not starchy) nature of the drug, 



FIG. 172. Elecampane root. Trans- 

 verse section, showing the distri- 

 bution of the oil-glands . Magn ified. 

 (Planchon and Collin.) 



