842 
ON  SAMADERINE. 
ing  with  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  a  fixed  oil  is  obtained  of  a  pecu- 
liar fatty  odor,  and  the  composition  C31  H29  04. —  Wittsteins 
Vierteljahresschrift,  viii.  7 — 22.  J.  M.  m. 
ON  SAMADERINE. 
The  Samadera  indica,  Gartn.  (Vitmannia  elliptica,  Vahl), 
called  Gatip  Pahit  by  the  Malays,  is  a  tree  occurring  in  Java 
in  the  Regency  of  Bautam,  and  belonging,  according  to 
Bartling,  to  the  class  of  the  Terebinthince,  and  the  order  Sima- 
rubece.  C.  L.  Blume,  who  is  at  present  residing  in  Java,  has 
given  a  fuller  description  of  this  tree. 
The  tree  is  especially  characterized  by  its  numerous  fruits, 
which,  enclosed  in  coriaceous  shells,  are  of  the  form  of  almonds, 
and  weigh  about  1\  grm.  They  are  very  rich  in  oil,  and 
are  distinguished,  as  is  also  the  bark  of  the  tree,  by  a  very  bitter 
taste.  This  bitter  is  perhaps  the  bitterest  in  the  whole  vegeta- 
ble kingdom,  and  is  exceeded  by  no  other  known  bitter  matter. 
To  this  circumstance  we  are  indebted  for  the  preliminary  in- 
vestigation, for  which  M.  Rost  von  Tonningen  of  Buitenzorg,  in 
Java,  furnished  the  material ;  this,  however,  will  be  carried  on 
on  a  larger  scale  as  soon  as  a  greater  quantity  of  the  bark  and 
fruits  are  collected  and  preserved. 
100  parts  of  the  fruits  and  bark  of  Samadera  indica  con- 
tain : — 
The  fruits.  The  bark. 
84-260  (fat)  1409 
8-880  5-119 
Portions  soluble  in  ether  (oil) 
"  "  alcohol  (resin)  . 
"  "  water  (tannic  acid,) 
samaderine,extractive 
matter,  &c.)  . 
"  «         potash  (pectic  acid) 
Mineral  portions  .... 
Cellulose  
Water  
Loss  
The  properties  of  these  bodies  were  as  follows : — 
The  oil  of  the  fruits  is  colorless,  possesses  a  peculiar  odor, 
no  known  taste,  and  is  lighter  than  water;  it  burns  with  a 
10-585 
1-203 
0-160 
traces 
2-783 
7-931 
39-000 
70-656 
4-577 
11-832 
0-305 
0-850 
