110 
Pflanzenchemie. — Angewandte Botanik. 
Die Membranen von Boletus bestehen demnach der 
Hauptmasse nach aus reinem Chitin in höchstens lockerer 
Bindung mit N-freien Kohlehydraten. Verf. schlägt vor den Termi¬ 
nus „Pilzcellulose” (de Bary) vollkommen fallen zu lassen und in 
den Fällen, in welchen der Chitinnachweis noch nicht geführt 
wurde, von „Fungin” (Braconnot) zu sprechen. 
K. Linsbauer (Wien). 
Holm, T., Medicinal plants of North America. 20. Cimicifuga 
Amevicana Nutt. (Merck’s Report. XVII. p. 262—265. f. 1—9. Oct. 
1908.) 
The official name of the drug is „ Cimicifuga U. S. (Br.)”, but it 
is known also as „ Cimicifugae rhizoma ”, „Radix Christophovianae'\ 
and „ Radix Cimicifugae Sevpentariae" \ the odor is not strong, but 
rather disagreable, and is gradually lost with age. The rhizome 
contains a crystallizable principle called eimicifugin or macrotin. In 
regard to the internal structure the following points may be men- 
tioned. The thick secondary roots increase in thickness, and contain 
a broad, central pith; a secondary cortex, and about six collateral 
mestome-strands with broad parenchymatic rays is the result of the 
second formations. Characteristic of the rhizome is the suberized 
epidermis, the lack of endodermis and pericycle, thus the mestome- 
strands are perfectly open; they are arranged in one circular band, 
separated from each other by broad rays of parenchyma; the center 
of the Stele is occupied by a broad pith. 
The stem above ground is monostelic, but abnormal, since the 
mestome-bundles are located in several irregulär bands, which are 
neither strictlv circular nor concentric, a structure known also from 
Actaea and Thalictrum. The long petioles of the leaves show prin- 
cipally the same structure as the thicker internodes of the aerial 
stem. The leaf-blade shows a dorsiventral structure with the Sto¬ 
mata confined to the lower face, and with distinct palisades on the 
ventral. In regard to the mechanical tissue this is rather poorly re- 
presented as a few strata of hypodermal collenchyma below T the 
midrib, and furthermore as a thinwalled stereomatic pericycle 
around this. There is, also, a large, thinwalled parenchyma, a water- 
storage tissue, around the midrib, while the secondary veins are 
merely provided with parenchyma sheaths. Theo Holm. 
Holm, T., Medicinal plants of North America. 21. Baptisia 
tinctoria R. Br. (Merck's Report. XVII. p. 295—297. f. 1—9. Nov. 
1908.) 
It is the large, woody rhizome with the roots which is used 
medicinally. The odor is somewhat peculiar, and the taste nauseous, 
bitter, slightty acrid. It contains three active principles: baptin, bap- 
tisin, and baptitoxine. Of these baptin is a feeble laxative, while 
baptitoxine is an active poison, which at first causes acceleration of 
respiration and increase of reflex activity, afterward death from 
central paralytical asphyxia. A decoction of the rhizome has been 
used in epidemic dysentery, and Rafinesque recommended it 
highly as a valuable remedy for all kinds of ulcers etc. 
The external structure of the rhizome from seedling to mature 
plant is described, beside the anatomy of the vegetative organs. 
Characteristic of the root is the presence of stereome in the primi¬ 
tive stele, and in the secondary cortex, common, to several other 
