450  Examination  of  Lippia  Scaberrima.    { A^ci™erFim.m' 
"  lemon-verbena,"  which  affords  the  genuine  verbena  oil  (compare 
Gildemeister  and  Hoffmann,  "  Die  setherischen  Oele,"  p.  774,  and 
Beilstein's  Handbuch  der  org.  Chemie,  Ergdnzungsband,  III,  p.  380). 
Some  South  American  species  of  Lippia,  which  likewise  yield 
aromatic  essential  oils,  have  recently  been  brought  to  notice,  namely: 
L.  urticoides,  L.  geminata,  and  L.  microcephala  [Ber.  d.  deutsch. 
Pharm.  Ges.,  14,  p.  468). 
Podwissotzki  [Pharm.  Zeit.f.  Russl.,  1882,  21,  926)  has  recorded 
the  results  of  an  examination  of  the  leaves  and  stems  of  Lippia 
mexicana,  from  which  on  distillation  with  water  he  obtained  an 
essential  oil  possessing  a  sweet  taste,  reminding  of  that  of  Italian 
fennel,  together  with  a  crystalline,  camphor-like  substance  (m.  p. 
25.30°  C),  designated  as  lippiol.  Although  one  analysis  was 
recorded  of  this  substance  (C  =  75-81  ;  H  ==  12  43;  O  =  10-20 
per  cent.),  the  figures  are  evidently  quite  inconclusive,  and  no  fur- 
ther evidence  was  afforded  of  its  composition,  nor  was  its  chemical 
character  determined.  The  presence  of  a  small  amount  of  tannin  in 
the  plant  was  likewise  noted. 
Maisch  (Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.,  1885,  57,  p.  330),  in  commenting 
"  on  some  useful  plants  of  the  natural  order  of  Verbenaceae,''  stated 
that  he  was  unable  to  find  any  reference  in  botanical  works  to  a 
plant  bearing  the  name  of  Lippia  mexicana,  and  therefore  expressed 
the  opinion  that  the  material  examined  by  Podwissotzki  (loc.  cit.) 
was  either  obtained  from  the  labiate  plant  Cedronella  mexicana, 
Benth.,  which  has  been  admitted  into  the  Mexican  Pharmacopoeia 
under  the  name  of  toronjil,  or  that  it  was  Lippia  citriodora,  Kunth 
(compare  also  Proc.  Amer.  Pharm.  Assoc.,  1876,  24,  p.  772).  In 
the  "National  Standard  Dispensatory,"  1905,  p.  1630,  it  is  stated 
that  "  the  drug  Lippia  mexicana  is  the  leaves  of  L.  didcis,  Trev., 
var.  dulcis,  of  Mexico  and  Central  America." 
EXPERIMENTAL. 
The  material  used  in  this  investigation  was  specially  collected  for 
us  in  South  Africa,  and  consisted  of  the  air-dried  stems  and  leaves 
of  the  plant,  which  was  botanically  identified  as  Lippia  scaberrima, 
Sonder.  The  herb  possesses  an  agreeable  aromatic  odor,  remind- 
ing of  both  lavender  and  sage. 
Test  for  an  Alkaloid. — Twenty-five  grammes  of  the  finely  ground 
herb  were  macerated  with  Prollius'  fluid,  and  the  resulting  liquid 
