184 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
sey and North Carolina; it is peculiar to a sandy soil, and 
flowers in June. It usually attains the height of three or 
four feet, and is conspicuous for its head of showy white 
flowers, which terminate the scape, and, at a distance, give to 
it the appearance of a long feather. The radical leaves are in 
thick and bunchy tufts, arranged at their juncture with the root, 
somewhat in a tunicated manner. From their resemblance 
to those of the Graminede, it has received the appellation of 
pine grass. 
CHEMICAL HISTORY. 
The decoction of the root of the Xerophyllum setifolium 
is of a light brown color, and possesses the taste and odor of 
the plant. To a portion of the decoction, sub-acetate of lead 
was added, which produced a very copious precipitate, and 
the compound of oxide of lead, gum, and starch, thus form- 
ed, equalled in weight one-sixth of the root employed. 
Tincture of iodine caused the blue precipitate, so charac- 
teristic of starch. 
Sulphate of iron and gelatine had no action on it. 
A portion of the decoction was treated with pure alumine, 
and filtered, but gave no evidence of gallic acid when sulphate 
of iron or lime water were added. 
A portion of the bruised root was submitted to distillation 
with water. The distilled liquid had the odor of the root in 
a concentrated degree, but owing to the limited quantity of 
root in my possession, the process could not be continued by 
repeating the distillation, so as to gain ocular proof of the 
presence of volatile oil, though its existence is highly 
probable. 
A portion of the root was macerated in cold water for 
twelve hours, and filtered. Bi-chloride of mercury added to 
this filtered liquid, caused a precipitate indicative of vegetable 
albumen, which result was confirmed on adding to another 
portion of the infusion, a solution of ferrocyanuret of potas« 
sium, acidulated with acetic acid. 
