AmsJe°pu;imrm"}         Origin  of  False  Senega  Boot.  453 
close  resemblance  to  that  found  in  senega  root,  is  about  five-eighths 
inch,  sometimes  an  inch,  in  thickness,  and  bears  above  a  large  number 
of  stem  remnants.  Beneath  the  head  the  root  is  suddenly  contracted 
to  the  thickness  of  about  one-fourth  inch ;  a  few  small  roots  may 
usually  be  picked  out,  scarcely  one-eighth  inch  in  thickness,  while 
some  larger  roots  are  three-eighths,  or  rarely  one-half,  inch  thick. 
The  color  is  pale  brownish-yellow,  much  lighter  than  commercial 
senega  is  usually  seen,  and  lighter  than  all  other  officinal  roots,  the 
white  ones  excepted;  since  the  interior  of  the  root,  both  bark  and 
meditullium,  is  of  a  nearly  white  color,  it  is  obvious  that  in  bulk  the 
color  of  false  senega  root  must  have  a  still  lighter  tint,  approaching 
to  white,  in  proportion  to  the  abrasion  of  the  outer  layer.  Older 
roots,  particularly  near  the  head,  have  a  thin  layer  of  cork  of  about 
the  same  shade  of  brown  as  gentian.  The  main  root  is  nearly  straight, 
— a  +1^  C1v  nr  AiVht  thinner  branches  are  descending  or  curved  down- 
ERRATA. 
Page  453,  line  5  from  bottom,  for  «  micro- 
scopical    read  ;'macroscopical." 
the  same  portion  oi  tne 
decidedly  acrid  taste. 
The  small  roots  in  the  sample  agree  well  with  P.  Boykinii;  but  this 
species  not  growing  in  Kansas  cannot  be  present  in  the  sample  under 
consideration.  A  histological  investigation  of  the  material  on  hand 
is  contemplated,  and  it  is  hoped  may  reveal  differences  in  addition  to 
the  microscopical  characters  pointed  out.  Not  having  seen  the  south- 
ern senega,  of  which  Prof.  Lloyd  has  handled  some  bales,  and  which 
was  of  excellent  quality,  but  without  any  observable  keel  {he.  eit.3 
p.  88),  I  cannot  say  whether  or  not  it  was  identical  with  false  senega ; 
but  it  should  be  noted  that  thus  far  the  latter  is  not  known  to  come 
from  a  southern  state;  the  only  two  localities,  as  yet  ascertained, 
have  been  pointed  out  by  me,  viz.,  southwestern  Missouri  and  Kansas. 
