266 



BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



The leaves are simple, ovate-lanceolate (Fig. 139). The flowers 

 are in racemes and characterized by having ten stamens. The 

 fruit is a dark purple, juicy berry. 



Fig. 



Poke (Phytolacca decandra) showing a flowering branch, two of the 

 lower leaves, a raceme of flowers and a fruit cluster. 



The roots of this species as well as others contain powerful 

 drastic principles, as Pircunia littoralis and Anisomeria drastica 

 of Chile. Phytolacca abyssinica contains saponin, and a red color- 



