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PHARMACOGNOSY. 
When treated with sulphuric acid (sp. gr. P73) the 
endosperm, in about 65 per cent, of the seeds, becomes 
green ; the cotyledons red or purple and finally green, 
in some instances. 
Constituents. — Strophanthin, a crystalline principle 
occurring chiefly in the endosperm and varying from 
0'65 (S. hispidus ) to 0 95 per cent. (S. Kombe ), or, as 
reported by some investigators, occasionally as high as 
3 per cent ; strophanthin is colored greenish wuth sul- 
phuric acid, and yields on decomposition a crystalline 
body called strophanthidin ; the other constituents are 
kombic acid and about 30 per cent, of a fixed oil. 
Allied Plants. — The seeds of a number of other 
species and varieties of Strophanthus find their way 
into the market, but these are usually more or less 
deficient in strophanthin and do not give a greenish 
color with sulphuric acid. 
Adulteration. — The seeds of Kicksia Africana (Fam. 
Apocynacese) have been found admixed with strophan- 
thus, but are distinguished from it by being glabrous 
and not giving the strophanthin reaction. 
AMYGDALA AMARA (Bitter Almond). 
The ripe seed of Prunus Amygdalus, var. aviara (Fam. 
Rosacese), a tree native of Asia Minor, Persia and 
Syria, and cultivated and naturalized in tropical as 
well as warm temperate regions. The commercial 
product is obtained mostly from Sicily, Southern 
France, Southern Italy, and Northern Africa. In com- 
mercial almonds the yellowish, more or less porous, 
fibrous and brittle endocarp is frequently present, and 
this should be removed. 
Description. — Anatropous, ovate or oblong-lanceo- 
late, flattened, more rounded on one margin, apex 
acute or beaked, chalazal end rounded or obliquely 
