— 125 — 



also found in the flowers of Coffea liberica, C. robusta, and C. Abeokuta, but 

 only after the flowers had faded. In the case of Coffea arabica no reaction 

 could be obtained, notwithstanding the experiment was made with a large 

 quantity of flowers. 



The same author has also detected scatole in Pm-wood 1 ), the presence 

 of the substance being proved by the test with vanillin and hydrochloric 

 acid as well as by Sasaki's 2 ) test with methyl alcohol and sulphuric acid. 

 Hydrocyanic acid and benzaldehyde were obtained from the seed of certain 

 species of Chrysophyllum; hydrocyanic acid and acetone from the unripe 

 seed and bark of Passiflora \ foeticla, P. laurifolia, and P. quaclrangularis. 



According to a subsequent communication by Sack 3 ), indole also 

 occurs in the exhalations (of the flowers?) of Hevea brasiliensis, Muell. and 

 of Reindict formosa (Jacq.), K. Schum. 



As stated in our last October Report 4 ), Ciamician and Ravenna have 

 demonstrated that salicin is generated from saligenin when the last- 

 named body is brought into contact with the constituents of the living 

 Indian corn plant. The two authors have made subsequent experiments 5 ) 

 with a view of determining whether, when benzyl alcohol mixed with 

 glucose is injected into living Indian corn plants, it is capable of forming 

 glucosides. This is probably the case, but it was impossible to isolate 

 any crystalline glucoside-like compound of the alcohol in question. 



Sometime ago E. Heckel 6 ) observed that anaesthetics possess the power 

 of liberating coumarin from green plants. He 7 ) has confirmed this observation 

 with the "Ayapana" (Evpatorium triplinerve, Vahl; N. O. Composite). This 

 plant is almost odourless in the green state, but when dried it has a 

 characteristic odour of coumarin and of melilotic acid. When, however, 

 the plant is treated with ethyl chloride the odour becomes perceptible 

 after only 5 or 6 minutes, and with ethyl ether or chloroform after about 

 15[minutes. 



Ayapana oil, which has been examined by ourselves 8 ) and by Semmler 9 ), 

 contained as its principal constituent the dimethyl ether of thymohydro- 

 quinone. Coumarin or melilotic acid have not yet been detected in the oil. 



: ) In Surinam the name Pisi is applied to the wood of Nectandra species. 



2 ) Comp. Report October 1910, 203; April 1911, 192. 



3 ) Pharm. Weekblad 48 (1911), 775. Quoted from Chem. Zentralbl. 1911, II. 695. 

 *) Report October 1910, 171. 



■") Rendiconti della R. Accademia dei Lincei 20, I. (1911), 392. From a reprint kindly 

 sent to us. 



<) Comp. Report April 1910, 161. 



') Compt. rend. 152 (1911), 1825. 



-) Report April 1907, 106. 



'■') Berl. Berichte 41 (1908), 509; Report April 1908, 17, 



