AmMi°y,ri89ib.arm*}  Alkaloids  and  other  active  Principles.  235 
commences  to  crystallize  after  some  days  in  stellate  groups  of 
needles,;  it  gives  a  dark  indigo-blue  coloration  with  Erdmann's 
reagent,  a  pale  rose-red  with  pure  sulphuric  acid,  and  a  reddish-brown 
with  nitric  acid.  A  base  which  seems  to  be  identical  with 
laurotetanine  is  also  found  in  the  varieties  of  Tetranthera,  in 
Notaphcebe,  Bl..  Aperula,  Bl.,  and  Actinodaphne,  Nees.  It  is 
possible,  also,  that  laurotetanine  is  identical  with  the  alkaloid  dis- 
covered in  1886  by  Eykmann  in  Haasia  squarrosa,  Z.  et  M.,  as  the 
author  has  also  found  it  in  H.firma,  Bl. 
Hernandia  sonora,  L.,  and  H .  ovigera,  L.,  both  yield,  an  alkaloid 
closely  resembling  the  bebeerine  obtained  from  Nectandra,  whilst 
Illigera  pulchra,  Bl.,  contains  laurotetanine. 
VI.  The  Distribution  of  Hydrocyanic  Acid  in  the  Vegetable  King- 
dom.— The  leaves  of  Gymnema  latifolium,V\fa\\.,2in.  Indian  Asclepiadea 
contain  large  quantities  of  amygdalin,  which  can,  however,  only  be 
obtained  in  the  amorphous  condition.  The  leaves  do  not  contain 
any  enzyme,  and  may,  therefore,  be  distilled  with  water  or  dilute 
sulphuric  acid  without  any  hydrocyanic  acid  or  benzaldehyde  pass- 
ing over.    On  the  addition  of  emulsin,  hydrolysis  readily  takes  place. 
The  fresh  bark  of  many  Javan  forest  trees  gives  off  an  odor  of 
bitter  almond  oil.  It  was  found  that  Pygium  parviflorum,  T.  et  B., 
and  P.  latifolium,  Miq.,  both  contain  amygdalin,  which  on  botanical 
grounds  was  not  improbable,  as  the  species  Pygium  is  closely 
related  to  Amygdalus. 
When  the  fruit  of  certain  Javan  Aroides  (the  genera  Lasia  and 
■Cyrtospermd)  is  cut,  a  strong-odor  of  hydrocyanic  acid  is  observed, 
and  it  was  found  on  investigation  that  it  is  present  in  the  free  state. 
It  also  occurs  in  the  leaves  of  these  plant.  It  is  found,  however,  in 
much  larger  quantity  in  a  Javan  tree  known  as  Pangium  edule, 
Reinw.,  the  seeds  of  which,  after  cooking  in  a  certain  manner,  are 
looked  on  by  the  Malays  as  a  valuable  food.  If  this  cooking  is 
insufficient,  the  seeds  are  a  frightful  poison,  and  are  used  in  Javan 
for  killing  fish  and  insects.  It  was  found  on  investigation  that  all 
parts  of  the  tree  contain  free  hydrocyanic  acid.  Thus  the  leaves,  on 
distillation,  yielded  0-34  per  cent,  which  is  equal  to  1  per  cent,  on 
the  dried  leaves ;  in  the  other  parts  the  proportion,  although  less, 
is  still  considerable.  The  amount  of  hydrocyanic  acid  is  not  con- 
stant, old  Pangium  leaves  having  been  examined  which  only 
contained  0-045  Per  cent. 
