76o BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY.. 



2. Sclerenchymatous Fibers Not Strongly Lignified. 



128. CALAMUS.— Light brown (Fig. loi, B) ; tracheae 

 spiral, scalariform or reticulate; sclerenchymatous fibers slightly 

 lignified, with oblique simple pores ; starch grains nearly spherical, 



4 to 8 /u, in diameter ; crystal fibers containing monoclinic crystals 

 of calcium oxalate ; oil-secretion cells with suberized walls ; con- 

 tents of parenchymatous cells colored ruby- red by a strong alco- 

 holic solution of vanillin and hydrochloric acid. The powder of 

 the peeled rhizome is less aromatic, and cells of the epidermis and 

 cork, and crystal fibers are wanting. . The yield of aqueous extract 

 should be between 18 and 20 per cent. Powdered calamus has 

 been reported as being, admixed with as much as 30 per cent, of 

 diatomaceous earth. 



129. ULMUS. — Light brown (Fig. 99, C) ; bast fibers thin^ 

 walled, non-lignified ; crystal fibers containing monoclinic prisms 

 of calcium oxalate 10 to 25 n in diameter ; starch grains spherical, 



5 to 10 /i in diameter. 



Ground elm bark has been reported to be adulterated with 

 wheat starch or wheat middlings, but this does not seem to be 

 the case. The small quantity of wheat starch which is some- 

 times detected is considered to be in the nature of an accidental 

 contamination. The usual adulterant is a bark from which the 

 mucilage has been extracted or at least barks poor in mucilage 

 are sometimes found on the market. Good elm bark gives a 

 rather thick mucilage on digesting one part of the ground bark 

 in 40 to 45 parts of cold water. 



8 Calcium Oxalate in Raphides. 



130. CINNAMOMUM (Saigon).— Dark brown; bast fibers 

 much thickened ; stone cells nearly isodiametric, more or less thick- 

 ened, with numerous pores ; calcium oxalate in raphides about 5 /i 

 long; starch grains somewhat spherical, 7 to 15 /x in diameter, 

 single or 2- to 4-compound ; parenchyma with irregular tannin 

 masses ; oil-secretion cells. Cassia Cinnamon has fewer cork cells 

 and more sclerenchymatous cells and fibers. Ceylon Cinnamon has 

 no, cork cells and the stone cells are more elongated, irregular in 

 outline and unevenly thickened (Figs. 224, 225, 305). 



