498 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



Description. — Rhizome horizontal, with numerous upright 

 or curved branches and few roots, 2 to 15 cm. long, i to 2.5 cm. 

 in diameter; externally dark brown, slightly annulate from cir- 

 cular scars of bud-scales, the upper surface with buds, stem-scars 

 and stem-remnants, under and side portions with numerous root- 

 scars and few roots ; fracture horny ; internally, bark dark green, 

 about I mm. thick, wood dark brown, 4 to 5 mm. thick, distinctly 

 radiate ; pith 3 to 5 mm. in diameter ; odor slight ; taste bitter and 

 acrid. 



Roots brittle, nearly cylindrical or obtusely quadrangular; 

 externally dark brown, longitudinally wrinkled, 3 to 12 cm. long, 



1 to 2 mm. in diameter; fracture short; internally, bark dark 

 brown, 0.2 to 0.4 mm. thick, wood light brown, usually four-rayed. 



Inner Structure. — See Fig. 217. 



Constituents. — Cimicifugin (macrotin or macrotyn), a mix- 

 ture of resinous substances of a yellowish-brown color, possess- 

 ing the active properties of the drug and amounting to about 3 

 per cent. ; considerable starch and a tannin-like principle giving a 

 green color with ferric salts, thus distinguishing the drug from 

 the rhizome of Helleborus niger (p. 495). 



HYDRASTIS.— GOLDEN SEAL.— The dried rhizome and 

 rtiots oi. Hydrastis canadensis (Fam. Ranunculacese), a perennial 

 herb (Fig. 218) indigenous to the Eastern United States and 

 Canada (p. 268). The rhizome and roots are collected in autumn. 



Description. — Rhizome horizontal or oblique, sub-cylindrical, 



2 to 5 cm. long, 3 to 6 mm. in diameter ; externally yellowish or 

 dark brown, slightly annulate from circular scars of bud-scales, 

 upper surface with numerous short stem-remnants or stem-scars, 

 under and side portions with numerous roots or root-scars ; frac- 

 ture short, waxy; internally deep yellow, bark about 0.5 mm. 

 thick, wood radiate, about i mm. thick, pith light yellow; odor 

 distinct; taste bitter. 



Roots 4 to 7 cm. long, 0.2 to 0.4 mm. in diameter; internally 

 bright yellow, wood somewhat quadrangular. 



Inner Structure. — See Figs. 219, 292. 



Constituents. — Two alkaloids — one, hydrastine, occurring to 

 the extent of 2 to 3 per cent., and forming colorless, tasteless 

 4-sided prisms, although the salts are pale yellow and bitter; the 



