THE DRUG KNOWK AS PINKROOT. 43 



living condition of all species here concerned that it has been practi- 

 cable to uncover full}^ the true relations involved in the drug called 

 pinkroot. 



MINOR ADULTERANTS. 



Aside from Ruellia,the adulterants of Spigelia may be regarded as 

 impurities, due in the main either to the carelessness of the collector 

 in not sorting out the roots with which the plant was associated in its 

 growth, or perhaps to a lack of familiarity with the plant on the part 

 of young or inexperienced collectors. With Spigelia other roots 

 sometimes occur which have a greater market value than the true 

 pinkroot, and therefore can not be regarded as intentional adulterants. 

 The worthless roots frequenth' present, however, may have been 

 introduced by the collector with full knowledge that a fraud was being 

 perpetrated. In commercial samples of pinkroot, among other impuri- 

 ties have been observed roots of golden seal {Hydrastis canadensis L.), 

 serpentaria {Aristolochia. serpentaria L.), soap wort {Saponaria offici- 

 nalis L.), wild yam {Dioscorea villosa L.), and stoneroot {Collinsonia 

 canadensis L.). 



METHODS OF DISTINGUISHING PINKROOT FROM ITS SUBSTI- 

 TUTES. 



Once familiar with the true pinkroot it is hard to see how any drug 

 collector could confuse it with the plants so frequently substituted in 

 its place. Spigelia and Ruellia grow over large areas, largely over- 

 lapping and in much the same habitat, and have on the whole a cer- 

 tain general resemblance; but they should be readil}^ distinguished by 

 observing any one of their several striking characteristics. 



In Ruellia (PL VI) the flowers are borne scatteringl}^ along the stem 

 in the axils of the leaves; in Spigelia (PI. V) they are aggregated at 

 the top of the plant in a one-sided spike. In Ruellia the pale magenta- 

 colored corolla forms a slender tube below, expanded upward into a 

 broad, flaring limb. The anthers and style are not protruded. In 

 Spigelia the corolla forms a rather broad tube, narrowest at the throat, 

 prolonged upward into spreading, narrow, triangular portions. The 

 exterior is brilliant cardinal in color, bright 3^ellow on the inside; the 

 style and anthers are exserted. The leaves of Ruellia are bright green, 

 usually short-petioled or sessile, frequently more or less hairy. In 

 Spigelia the}^ are dark green, glossy, and sessile. 



In the crude drug the forms are separated by less evident gross 

 characters. Ruellia, however, has a coarser, harsher root system than 

 Spigelia, and the roots show a tendenc}^ to lose the cortical tissues, 

 leaving the naked, woody cjdinder exposed. The roots of Spigelia are 

 delicate, fibrous, and usually ver}^ numerous. When dr}^ they break 

 and crumble very readily. 



100— V 



