PARTS OP ROOTS AND STEMS. 
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Constituents. — The principal constituent is a liquid 
alkaloid pelletierine (punicine), from which a number 
of crystalline and liquid principles have been derived; 
the yield is from 0 35 to 0 6 per cent, in the stem bark 
and from 0 6 to T3 per cent, in the root bark; there is 
also present about 20 per cent, of a tannin yielding 
ellagic acid ; starch and calcium oxalate. 
MEZKREUM. 
The dried bark of Daphne Mezereum, and of other 
species of Daphne (Fam. Thymelacese), shrubs indig- 
enous to Europe and Asia, and naturalized in New 
England and Canada. The bark is collected in 
early spring; it is dried and frequently made up 
into small bundles, the commercial supplies being ob 
tained from Thuringia, Southern France and Algeria. 
Description. — In flexible double squills or some- 
what flattened strips 10 to 90 cm. long, 3 to 20 mm. 
in diameter, bark about 0‘3 mm. thick; outer surface 
light or dark brown, smooth, obliquely striate or 
wrinkled, with numerous lenticels, occasional brownish- 
black apothecia, and sometimes with buds or bud-scars; 
inner surface yellowish green, somewhat lustrous, 
finely striate; fracture, tough, fibrous, the dark-brown 
periderm readily separable from the yellowish-green 
cortex, inner bark yellowish green, lamellated ; odor 
slight; taste very acrid. 
Constituents. — An acrid resin known as mezerein ; 
a crystalline, bitter glucoside daphnin; volatile and 
fixed oils, and starch. 
PEUNUS VIRGINIAN A (Wild Black Clierry). 
The bark of the stem and branches of Prunus sero- 
tina Ehrliart (Syn. Prunus Virginian a Miller) (Fam. 
Rosacese), a tree indigenous to the Eastern and Central 
