CRUDE DRUGS. 



533 



Prickly Ash. F. Clava-Herculis is a shrub (p. 305) found south 

 from Virginia to Texas, and furnishes the Southern Prickly Ash. 

 The latter, however, appears to be less valuable medicinally. 



Northern Prickly Ash. — In transversely curved pieces, 

 occasionally in single quills, 2 to 17 cm. long, i to 2 cm. in diam- 

 eter, 0.5 to 3 cm. thick; outer surface light brown to brownish- 

 black, with grayish patches of foliaceous lichens, numerous small 

 black apothecia and whitish lenticels; fracture short, uneven; 



Fig. 233. Bark of southern prickly ash showing cork-wings. 



inner surface light brown, finely striate longitudinally, with 

 numerous acicular crystals, phelloderm layer dark green, inner 

 bark with groups of converging medullary rays; odor slight; 

 taste bitter, acrid and pungent. 



Southern Prickly Ash. — Transversely curved or irregularly 

 oblong flattened pieces, occasionally in single quills 5 to 30 cm. 

 long, I to 7 cm. in diameter, i to 4 mm. thick ; outer surface with 

 numerous conical cork-wings or their scars (Fig. 233) ; inner 

 surface free from acicular crystals. 



