36 
ON  THE  TREE  PRODUCING  RED  CINCHONA  BARK. 
quality,*  to  which  indeed  the  tree  evidently  belongs  ;  and  as  I 
have  the  pleasure  of  presenting  specimens  to  the  Museum  of  the 
Pharmaceutical  Society,  I  need  not  further  describe  it  in  this 
place,  except  to  say  that  the  different  portions  of  the  trunk  and 
branches  exhibit  the  variety  of  coating  usually  seen  in  com- 
mercial red  bark  of  genuine  quality,  thus  showing  that  it  all 
proceeds  from  one  tree. 
The  varying  size  and  form  of  the  leaves  may  be  inferred  from 
the  accompanying  woodcut.  The  largest  in  my  possession,  a 
little  imperfect  at  the  apex,  measured  about  nine  inches  in 
length  by  six  in  width.  The  shape  of  the  leaves  is  that  of 
Cinchona  ovata,  approaching  perhaps  more  nearly  to  the  variety 
a  vulgaris  than  to  the  var.  y  rufinervis,  in  which  latter  the  leaf 
appears  to  be  somewhat  longer  in  proportion  to  its  width.  The 
red  bark  leaves,  however,  instead  of  being  "  suh coriaceous"  (as 
in  the  a  variety,  illustrated  by  specimens  given  me  by  Dr0  Wed- 
dell),  are  "  submembranaceous"  thus  confirming  its  connexion 
with  the  variety  y  erythroderma,  the  bark  of  which  agrees  very 
closely  with  the  sort  under  consideration. 
Of  this  variety,  Dr.  Weddell  says  :f 
"  Noj Cinchona  (unless  it  be  C.  condaminea)  is  so  susceptible  of  varia" 
tion  through  soil  and  climate  as  C.  ovata.  It  is  particularly  in  the  bark 
that  these  changes  become  manifest.  *  *  A  single  individual  of  C.  ovata 
frequently  produces  distinct  varieties  of  bark  on  different  sides  of  the  trunk. 
The  periderm  is  generally  (in  this  species)  much  thinner  on  the  eastern 
than  on  the  western  side.  *  *  The  variations  which  are  to  be  noticed  in 
the  young  bark  of  different  individuals  are  still  more  striking,  particularly 
in  the  periderm.  *  *  I  at  one  time  thought  that  the  « true  Ted  bark' 
ought  also  to  be  attributed  to  Cinchona  ovata,  bat,  in  looking  at  the  speci- 
mens which  M.  Guibourt  has  shown  me,  I  have  been  obliged  to  suspend 
my  judgment.  The  barks  on  which  I  have  founded  this  opinion  were 
gathered  in  the  valleys  north  of  Cusco,  and  as  the  tree  which  produces 
them  presents  at  the  same  time  some  differences  in  the  leaves,  I  have  made 
it  into  a  separate  variety,  giving  it  the  name  erythroderma,  which  recalls 
its  most  interesting  character." 
*  See  Pharm.  Jour.,  vol.  xi.,  p.  497.  The  red  bark  which  came  in  the  same 
ship,  and  I  think  from  the  same  place,  was  of  very  good  quality,  and  con- 
tained from  three  to  four  per  cent,  of  alkoloids,  including  a  fair  proportion  of 
quinine. 
f  Histoire,  $c,  page  62. 
