20G 
SELECTED ARTICLES. 
ART. XXXIII. —DES(^RIPTION OF THE WHITE SARSAPA- 
RILLA FROM TAMPICO, AND OF THE DIFFERENCES 
BETWEEN IT AND THE OTHER VARIETIES.— By J. J. 
ViREY. 
There has been presented to us by M. Gautheir, an apo- 
thecary of Paris, under the name of Tampico Sarsaparilla, 
a species or variety distinct in many respects from those met 
with in commerce, and which, nevertheless, is a true sarsapa- 
rilla. The means of distinguishing the best kinds, consist in 
being acquainted with all; hence the description of the present 
one appears to us of importance. Tampico is a port of the 
Gulf of Mexico, near to Vera Cruz, Honduras, and the other 
countries under the Tropic of Cancer, whence are derived the 
best kinds of sarsaparilla. These consist of long radicles 
attached to a head, and are folded upon themselves in bundles, 
in which manner they are exported ; while the Brazilian 
sarsaparilla is without the head, and appears to be a distinct 
species in a botanical point of view — the stem being armed 
with thorns. 
The article under consideration, presents the general struc- 
ture of the true sarsaparilla, but it has not the brown or reddish 
colour belonging to the other kinds, its appearance is white, 
or of a less deep brown. The roots are striated, long, tenacious, 
and a little larger than the other varieties; they are destitute 
of the asperities or rigid hairiness of the sarsaparilla of Peru, 
and other countries. Besides, the sarsaparilla of Tampico, 
when chewed, is very mucilaginous; and has, independently 
of a slight degree of bitterness, a sweetish taste, which even 
appears a little sugary in some roots. Its ligneous medutil- 
lium is not large, and the cortical portion is doubtless very 
succulent in the fresh state, more so than in the others. 
Generally the heads of this sarsaparilla are well developed, 
sometimes voluminous and suberose, as in China root, but of a 
pale colour; this lightness of tint pervades the plant and 
seem.s to indicate a large proportion of mucilaginous matter 
