Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1887. 
A  Spurious  Cubeb. 
573 
(fig.  2).  In  my  previous  paper  the  example  of  other  writers2  was 
followed  in  applying  the  term  testa  to  the  inner  shell  of  the  peri- 
carp. This  I  now  think  to  be  incorrect,  for  though  there  are  four 
distinct  layers  in  the  pericarp  the  testa  and  the  tegmen  are  found 
attached  to  the  seed,  which  is  only  united  to  the  hard  inner  shell 
of  the  pericarpat  its  base.  It  will  therefore  be  seen  that  the  terms 
used  in  this  paper  have  not  reference  to  the  same  parts  as  in  the 
former  one. 
The  epidermis  is  composed  of  small,  flattened  cells  covering  an  in- 
terrupted ring  of  cubical,  sclerotic  cells.  Within  this  is  the  broad 
layer  of  loose  parenchyma  interspersed  with  larger  cells  containing  oil. 
Fig.  2. — Section  of  pericarp  of  spurious  cubebs  V  62.    a,  epidermal  layers; 
b,  epicarp  ;  c,  mesocarp  ;  d,  endocarp. 
These  latter  resist  the  action  of  strong  sulphuric  acid  to  a  greater  ex- 
tent than  the  surrounding  tissue,  and  the  oil  is  not  colored  by  being 
left  in  contact  with  it.  Small  groups  of  stone  elements  are  present 
in  it ;  also  a  quantity  of  starch.  The  succeeding  portion  comprises 
about  eight  or  ten  rows  of  regularly  arranged  thin  walled  cells, 
extended  tangentially ;  it  is  free  from  starch,  but  the  inner  rows  con- 
tain small  crystals  of  calcium  oxalate.  I  find  that  crystals  are  like- 
wise present  in  the  "  short-stalked  "  drug  and  in  the  cubebs ;  but  are 
much  smaller,  indeed  in  cubebs  they  are  almost  indistinguishable, 
hence  my  failure  to  discern  them  before.  In  both  these  instances  cal- 
cium carbonate  was  found,  while  but  little  is  present  in  this  specimen. 
2 *  Pharniacographia/  1874,  p.  522. 
