380 



SUBTERRANEAN ORGANS 



tapering or enlarged, and often branched. They are dull reddish 

 brown, longitudinally striated or shrivelled, and bear, at intervals 



FIG. 203. Galangal root. Natural size. 



of about 5mm., pale, encircling, sinuous or frilled remains of cataphyl- 

 lary leaves. Here and there the broken upper end of a root remains 

 attached to the rhizome, but these are by no means numerous. It 

 is hard, tough, and difficult to break. 



The interior of the drug has a reddish brown colour, some- 

 times deeper, sometimes paler 

 than that of the exterior. The 

 transverse section exhibits a 

 distinct central column (stele) 

 surrounded by a wide cortex. 

 In both of these portions paler 

 fibro- vascular bundles and nu- 

 merous deep red resin- cells may 

 be distinguished under the lens. 

 The drug has an agreeable spicy 

 odour and a strongly pungent 

 spicy taste. 

 The student should observe 



(a) The reddish brown colour, 



(b) The remains of the cata- 

 phyllary leaves, 



(c) The pungent taste, 



(d) The structure exhibited 

 by the transverse section. 



Constituents. Galangal rhizome contains a little volatile oil (cineol, 

 methyl cinnamate), and a pungent oily body, galangol. It also 



Fia. 204. Galangal rhizome. Transverse 



section, magnified 3 diam. a, cortex ; 



v, endodermis ; b, stele ; y, vascular 

 bundles. (Berg.) 



