THE CHEMISTRY OF SOME COMMON PLANTS. 



« . K i; It G A N L L . D . 



I'atUiiliiU, W'estiiiorlancl. 



Marsh Cixqukfoil {Potentilla Comarnui). This tenant of 

 marshes and the s]x)ngy peat bog both of high and meadow 

 moors would be more appropriately designated by the title of 

 ' Bog Strawberry.' Systematically it is very nearly allied at once 

 to tormentil and to strawberry. The watery medium in which 

 it thrives influences both its external and internal structure ; 

 suberous tissues, for instance, prevailing over lignitied ones. 

 Like the Rosaceae in general, it is a pretty strong ' chemical 

 plant,' although without any special or striking feature. 



On loth July the dried whole leaves yielded 3.1 per cent. 

 wax with considerable carotin, a little fat, and much crystalline 

 resin-acid soluble in potass ley. There was about ^.S per cent, 

 quercitrin and tannin, which latter is iron-blueing and pre- 

 <-ipitates gelatine and tartar emetic ; also some free phloro- 

 glucin, but no gallic acid or resin. There was little sugar, 

 but large amoimts of jiectosic mucilage, pararabin, starch and 

 oxalate of calcium. It would seem that in this plant the fibre 

 (or rather the suberin) attracts and absorbs much tannin, for 

 on adding ammonia to the dilute HCl extract (after benzene, 

 alcohol, water, and dilute soda) a deep violet precipitate was 

 thrown down which was turned mostly to a red-brown by 

 acetic acid. The ash of the overground parts contained 31.2 

 per cent, soluble salts, 2.7 silica, 24.5 lime, 4 magnesia, 3.5 

 P-0^ and 4.4 SO^, with some 10 per cent, oxides of iron and 

 manganese. The plant is a powerful producer of starch and 

 tannin, i.e., the physiological processes are active and complete. 



Pink Campion {Lychnis dioica) — This is one of the most 

 brilliant and abundant of wild flowers, imparting a wonderful 

 gaiety to the wood edges, damp hedge-banks, and stream-side 

 rocks, which it delights to embellish. Sterile soils produce male 

 plants, while fertile lands induce female broods, and true 

 hermaphroditism is very rare. As regards the root organs, it 

 develops accidental buds, i.e., it is between a plant whose roots 

 are quite incapable of furnishing buds, and one which multiplies 

 normally by its roots ; in other words, it does not generally 

 produce root-buds, but may be provided with them by artificial 

 means. On 21st June, the dried leaves yielded 2 per cent, carotin 

 and wax ; the alcoholic extract contained no tannoid or tannin, 



1910 Sept. I. 



