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PHARMA COGNOSY. 
sperm hard, embryo 0'5 mm. long and situated at end 
opposite strophiole; nearly inodorous; taste feeble, bit- 
ter and somewhat acrid. 
Constituents. — Proteids; fixed oil about 6 per cent.; 
a tannin-like substance in the seed-coat; starch grains 
in the caruncle; an alkaloid colchicine about 0'5 per 
cent.; a resinous principle colchicoresin; ash about 2'5 
per cent. 
LINXJM (Linseed or Flaxseed). 
The seed of Linum usitatissimum (Fam. Linacese), an 
annual, which is cultivated in nearly all temperate 
and tropical regions, either for the fiber (flax) or seed. 
Description. — Anatropous, ovate or oblong-lanceo- 
late, flattened, somewhat less rounded on one side and 
on one margin, apex acute or beaked, chalazal end 
rounded, plano-convex in transverse section, 4 to 5 
mm. long, 2 to 2'5 mm. broad, 05 to 0’75 mm. thick; 
externally light brown, very smooth and glossy, the 
raphe extending as a distinct, light -yellow ridge 
along one edge, outer wall of epidermal cells trans- 
parent, mucilaginous and swelling in water; easily 
cut; internally, endosperm white, adhering to the 
seed-coat, embryo light green, straight, 3 to 4 mm. 
long, 1 to 2 mm. broad, cotyledons plano-convex; odor 
slight; taste mucilaginous and slightly unpleasant. 
Constituents. — Fixed oil 30 to 40 per cent.; proteids 
about 25 per cent.; mucilage in outer walls of the epi- 
dermal cells, 6 to 15 per cent ; ash 1 to 4 per cent. 
Ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal or crushed linseed) 
is not infrequently deficient in oil on account of its 
being admixed with “oil-cake” or “cake-meal” (the 
latter being the residue left after expressing about 20 
to 30 per cent, of the oil naturally occuring in the 
crushed linseed), which deficiency is sometimes made 
