556  COUMARIN  FROM  LIATRIS  ODORATISSIMA. 
COUMARIN  FROM  LIATRIS  ODORATISSIMA. 
By  "William  Procter,  Jr. 
Early  in  September  last  I  received  a  letter  from  William  H. 
Lippitt,  Pharmaceutist,  of  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  enclos- 
ing a  small  quantity  of  crystalline  matter,  which  he  had  obtained 
from  the  surface  of  the  leaves  of  Liatris  odoratissima,  collected 
for  the  purpose  of  preventing  moths  from  attacking  woollen 
clothing.  Supposing  it  to  be  the  active  principle  of  the  plant, 
he  queried  whether  it  was  of  value  medicinally,  and  if  so,  stated 
that  it  could  be  procured  in  large  quantities  if  required.  He 
offered  to  forward  a  specimen,  which  he  kindly  did,  by  express. 
The  plant  on  its  arrival  was  not  entirely  dry — and  portions  of 
the  surface  of  the  leaves  had  turned  brown,  apparently  from 
being  enclosed  while  green.  The  surface  of  the  leaves,  particu- 
larly of  the  brown  portion,  was  dotted  over  with  minute,  brilliant, 
colorless  crystals,  which  glistened  as  the  plant  was  turned  about. 
The  odor  of  the  plant  in  this  state  was  almost  precisely  that  of 
Tonka  bean,  which  at  once  led  to  the  inference  that  the  crys- 
tals were  coumarin,  the  well  known  odorous  principle  of  that 
seed. 
Liatris  odoratissima  is  a  syngenesious  plant,  of  the  natural 
order  Asteracese  Lind.,  which  grows  in  the  Southern  States. 
Those  of  the  species  L.  squarrosa  or  blazing  star,  L.  scariosa, 
or  gay  feather,  L.  spicata,  or  Button  Snaheroot,  are  used  in 
medicine.  The  first  is  sometimes  called  "  Rattlesnake's  mas- 
ter," from  its  alleged  antidotal  power  in  snake  bite.  The  root 
of  Liatris  odoratissima  is  perennial.  That  of  the  specimen  sent 
is  a  conical  bulb  or  corm,  about  an  inch  long  and  half  an  inch  in 
diameter,  with  numerous  fibres  attached  laterally.  From  the 
top  of  the  root  issues  ten  radical  wedge  lanceolate  leaves,  from 
six  to  ten  inches  long,  and  from  their  midst  issues  a  reddish 
brown  stem  four  feet  in  height,  with  alternate  short  leaf  bracts 
and  terminates  in  a  panicle  or  corymb  of  purple  flowers,  which 
have,  when  chewed,  a  very  bitter  and  somewhat  pungent  taste, 
but  without  any  of  the  tonka  bean  odor  or  taste.  Careful 
examination  of  the  leaves  which  had  dried  without  losing  their 
green  color,  showed  the  crystalline  exudation  equally  with  the 
brown  surface.    The  leaves,  when  chewed,  are  biting  and 
