486 
Senega  of  Commerce. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm,, 
Oct.,  1881. 
Remarks  by  the  Editor. — The  evidences  presented  in  the  above 
paper,  that  what  hitherto  we  have  called  false  senega  is  really  derived 
from  Polygala  senega,  is  very  strong,  and  the  facilities  enjoyed  by  the 
authors  of  examining  drugs  in  large  quantities  are  such  that  their 
statement  regarding  the  large  size  of  this  senega  root  is  doubtless  cor- 
rect. Yet,  although  we  have  been  supplied  with  samples  from  per- 
haps twenty  dilferent  parties,  we  have  seen  it  only  of  about  the  same 
size  as  the  ordinary  senega,  and  never  unusually  large. 
On  the  other  hand,  we  have  seen  only  one  specimen  of  the  root  of 
Polygala  Boykinii  and,  although  this  is  smaller  than  ordinary  senega, 
it  agrees  in  its  histological  relations  so  well  with  the  so-called  false 
senega,  that  it  might  well  be  collected  for  the  latter  if  attaining  the 
same  size.  Indeed,  the  uniform  development  of  the  woody  centre  and 
the  absence  of  the  inner  bark  tissue,  forming  the  keel,  is  so  constant 
that  it  may  be  questioned  whether  a  plant  with  such  a  strikingly  dif- 
ferent root  will  not  show  other  differences — aside  from  the  width  of 
the  leaves — which  may  entitle  it  to  be  ranked  as  a  species  rather  than 
as  a  variety. 
Five  years  ago  w^e  traced  what  Avas  called  white  senega "  to 
Greene  county.  Mo.,  and  we  have  no  reason  to  doubt  the  correctness  of 
the  information  then  obtained.  If  correct,  the  root  could  not  have 
been  gathered  in  Wisconsin.  Since  that  time  we  have  frequently  been 
informed,  on  inquiry,  that  the  root  referred  to  had  been  collected  in 
Missouri  or  in  Texas. 
It  is  evident  from  the  above  that  the  histological  examination  of 
the  roots  of  well  authenticated  species  of  the  American  Polygalas  is  a 
matter  of  great  interest  and  importance,  and  pharmacists  and  physi- 
cians who  are  in  a  position  to  aid  in  this  investigation,  by  the  collec- 
tion of  representative  specimens  of  plants  with  roots,  could  thus  mate- 
rially further  the  object  in  view. 
Since  the  above  w^as  in  type  we  have  received  from  Mr.  A. 
Conrath  a  number  of  fresh  plants,  collected  in  the  Menomonee 
valley,  Milwaukee  county,  Wisconsin,  having  leaves  like  those 
of  the  intermediate  variety  described  by  Messrs.  Lloyd.  All  the 
roots  are  small  like  ordinary  good  senega,  and,  as  far  as  examined^, 
show  the  one-sided  growth  and  even  the  rayed  character  of  the  wood,, 
when  seen  upon  transverse  section ;  even  the  keel  is  indicated  in  sev- 
eral branches  in  their  fresh  state.  In  fact  it  is  unmistakably  ordinary 
senega.    We  shall  examine  these  roots  carefullv  at  our  leisure. 
