— 127 — 



soluble oil occurs than that remaining behind in the leaves. During the 

 fructification (what is meant is doubtless "during the development of 

 the fruit"), a portion of the odoriferous substances is used up; the 

 energy required for this act is supplied chiefly by citral. 



The work published by E. Charabot and G. Laloue 1 ) on the 

 formation and distribution of the essential oil, and on the gradual 

 distribution of the terpene compounds, in Artemisia absynthin?n L., has 

 already been discussed by us in our last Report 2 ). 



A. Gor is and J. Ducher 3 ) have published some interesting 

 studies on the volatile constituents of the roots of Primula officinalis J acq. 

 When rubbing the fresh roots of this plant between the fingers, an 

 anise -like smell is developed, which soon however more and more 

 approaches the aroma of methyl ester of salicylic acid. Whilst this 

 anise odour occurs very strongly in Primula officinalis, Pritnula ela- 

 tior Hill, shows it but very faintly, and with Primula grandiflora Lam. 

 an odour like methyl salicylate can be recognised at once. The same 

 thing was found to occur with the reddish parts of the base of the 

 leaf of these plants. As the odour is only transitory, it is believed to 

 belong to a body formed by fermentative decomposition. This view 

 has been confirmed by suitable experiments. 



In our last Report 4 ) we referred already to a summary published 

 by M. Greshoff, of all plants in which prussic acid has been 

 detected. In a fresh publication Greshoff 5 ) adds a further 15 genera 

 to this table. 



According to F. Weehuizen 6 ), another prussic acid plant is 

 Merremia vitifolia (family of Convolvulaceae), whose leaves have already 

 a distinct odour of bitter almond oil. They contain 0,04 °/ prussic 

 acid, which, in addition to benzylaldehyde cyanohydrin, can be split 

 off enzymaticaliy. 



L. Guignard 7 ) next reports on about 20 species of Rosaceae, in 

 which he had detected prussic acid. In the leaves and branches, and 

 also in the roots in case the plants had not been grafted, 0,002 to 

 o,ii5°/ prussic acid was found. 



*) Compt. rend. 144 (1907), 152. 

 2 ) Report October 1906, 106. 



8 ) Bull, des Sciences pharm. 13 (1906), 536. Ace. to Pharm. Ztg. 51 (1906), 

 1 104, and Pharmaceutical Journal 77 (1906), 627. 

 4 ) Report October 1906, 107. 



6 ) Arch, der Pharm. 244 (1906), 665. 



c ) Pharm. Weekblad 43 (1906), 907. Ace. to a reprint kindly sent to us. 



7 ) Compt. rend. 143 (1906), 451; comp. also Reports October 1905, no, 

 and April 1900, 48. 



