ANALYSIS OF RAVENTSARA, 147 



ash, this precipitate afforded a little alumine; but the alka- 

 line liquor did not give the least trace of phosphoric acid. 



The ammoniacal liquor, from which the oxide of iron had 

 been separated, yielded a little lime to oxalic acid. The re- 

 siduum left by the caustic pota&h was oxide of iron. 



Thus this root contains, 



1, A resinous matter of a deep brown red, with an acrid Substances 

 taste, and a smell exactly similar to that of myrrh. In fact 



we believe it is nothing but resin of myrrh. 



2, A colouring matter soluble in water. 



3, A free acid. 



4, A calcareous salt, the species of which we could not 

 ascertain. 



5, Oxide of iron in pretty large quantity, the state of com* 

 bination of which in the plant we do not know. 



6, A large quantity of woody matter. 



The most interesting result of this analysis is the presence Myrrh may be 

 in the andropogon schcenanthus of a resinous matter, alto- formed inse- 

 gether similar to the resin of common myrrh ; it differs only 

 by being a little less solid, but if it were mixed, as in myrrh, 

 with a certain quantity of gummy matter, 1 have no doubt it 

 would resemble it perfectly. Hence we may infer, that myrrh 

 is formed in several vegetables ; for, though we are unac- 

 quainted here with the tree from which the myrrh of the shops 

 is derived, it is probably not the andropogon schcenanthus. 



Sect. IV. Analysis of the aromatic leaves of the raventsara, 

 agathophyllum ravensara L, sent by Mr. Thouxn. 



I digested 15 gr [231*68 grs] of these leaves in alcohol at Leavesof n* 



36° f 0837], to which they gave a fine green colour. I re- ▼«"«» tr f at - 

 t » »■ • i.iiii • i etl wit k alcw * 



peated the digestion, till the alcohol acquired no colour as- hgl. 



sisted by heat. 



The solutions, when mixed, were of a fine green. On 

 cooling a small quantity of flocculent matter separated, which 

 I found to be wax. 



The alcohol, freed from this matter, was distilled in a retort. 

 The spirit that came over had a very pleasant 9mell and taste. 



The remainder was rendered turbid by a little green ve- 

 getable resin. When this was separated by filtration, thft 

 liquor was of a fine brown yellow. On standing a small 

 L 2 quantitj 



