496 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



violet color with the same reagent. The drug also contains a vola- 

 tile oil, two acrid resins, an acrid fixed oil, aconitic acid and gal- 

 lates of calcium and potassium. 



The rhizome of Helleborus viridis (so-called " Green Helle- 

 bore " ) , a plant found in Middle and Southern Europe, has been 

 used similarly to that of H. niger. It contains the same principles 

 as H. niger, the helleborein apparently predominating. 



False Hellebore is the entire herb of Adonis vernalis (Fam. 

 Ranunculaceae) and other species of Adonis indigenous to Europe 

 and Asia. The drug contains adonidin, a mixture of several prin- 

 ciples, the most important being the amorphous glucoside picra- 

 donidin, a principle resembling digitalin in its physiologic action. 



CALAMUS.— SWEET FLAG.— The dried, unpeeled rhizome 

 of Acorns Calainus (Fam. Araceas), a perennial herb widely dis- 

 tributed in all north-temperate regions (p. 233). The com- 

 mercial supplies are obtained from the United States, Germany. 

 England, Russia and India. The rhizomes are collected in 

 autumn, the drug from India being the more aromatic, whereas 

 the German product, on account of the removal of the outer por- 

 tion of the rhizome, is probably the least aromatic. A confection 

 was at one time made by " candying " the fresh rhizome. 



Description. — Horizontal, cylindrical, slightly compressed, 

 usually split longitudinally into pieces 5 to 15 cm. long, 5 to 12 

 mm. in diameter; externally light brown or yellowish green, 

 annulate from remnants of circular bud-scales, upper surface with 

 triangular leaf-scars or hair-like fibers of fibrovascular tissue, the 

 sides with large circular branch-scars, and the under and side 

 portions with root-scars or short fragments of roots ; fracture 

 short; internally light brown, distinctly porous, with numerous 

 intercellular spaces, endodermis distinct ; odor aromatic ; taste 

 strongly aromatic (Fig. loi, B). 



Constituents. — Volatile oil 1.5 to 3.5 per cent., having the 

 odor and taste of the drug ; acorin, a bitter, viscid, aromatic gluco- 

 sidal principle, which when hydrolized in a current of hydrogen 

 yields oil of calamus; choline (trimethyl-oxyethyl ammonium 

 hydrate), a strong, non-poisonous base, and formerly known as 

 calamine ; a soft resin about 2.3 per cent. ; tannin ; mucilage ; starch 

 and calcium oxalate. 



