578 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



ellipsoidal, flattened, about 2 mm. thick, externally dark brown, 

 reticulate, with a groove on one side, frequently extending nearly 

 around the edge, internally light brown, smooth, i-locular, 

 I -seeded, occasionally 2-seeded; seed about 2 cm. long, 8 mm. 

 wide, 5 mm. thick, closely resembling Bitter Almond (see Amy- 

 dala Amara). 



Constituents. — Sugar 25 to 44 per cent. ; organic acids, as 

 malic and tartaric, partly free and partly combined, chiefly with 

 potassium, about 2 per cent., and water about 30 per cent. 



SABAL.— SAW PALMETTO.— The ripe drupe of Sabal 

 {Serenoa) serntlata (Fam. Palmae), a small palm found growing 

 in sandy soil from South Carolina to Florida. The fruit is par- 

 tially dried by artificial means (p. 231 ; Fig. 251). 



Description. — Drupe superior, ellipsoidal, ovoid or some- 

 what globular, 1.5 to 3 cm. long, i to 1.5 cm. in diameter; exter- 

 nally brownish-black, smooth, somewhat oily, with few large, 

 somewhat angular depressions due to the contraction of the inner 

 layer on drying; apex marked by remains of style; base marked 

 by stem-scar or with remains of stem; epicarp and sarcocarp 

 together forming a thin coriaceous shell enclosing a hard but 

 thin endocarp which is externally reddish-brown and somewhat 

 fibrous, as is also the inner layer of the sarcocarp ; inner layer of 

 endocarp smooth, enclosing an ellipsoidal or ovoid, hard, some- 

 what flattened, anatropous, reddish-brown seed which is marked 

 on the raphe side by an arillus-like appendage and on the oppo- 

 site side near the end by the micropyle, which forms a slight 

 projection; internally, with a large endosperm of thick-walled 

 parenchyma and a very small embryo at the micropyle; odor 

 pronounced, aromatic and fruity; taste sweetish, aromatic and 

 slightly acrid. 



Constituents. — About 1.2 per cent, of a volatile oil (in the 

 fresh fruit) ; 4 to 5 per cent, of a green or brownish oil, con- 

 sisting of a number of fatty acids and their esters, as caproic, 

 caprylic, capric, lauric, palmitic and oleic; a resin; considerable 

 glucose and possibly an alkaloid. ' 



CAPSICUM.— CAYENNE PEPPER (AFRICAN PEP- 

 PER). — The dried ripe fruit of one or more species of Capsicum, 

 probably Capsicum fastigiatum. Capsicum frutescens, and Cap' 



