SARSAPARILLA.

663

r °und stem, and long, smooth, wiry, brown root-fibres, is found in a baleLima sarsaparilla. A transverse section of the stem presents, to theJialved eye, a structure somewhat similar to that of the common cane. Ihave received the same root (under the name of Salsepareille-Squine deBacardi bo) from Professor Guibourt, w r ho found it in Caraccas sarsa-parilla.

4. Honduras Sarsaparilla; Mealy Sarsaparilla (Radix Sarzce Hon-duras). Is imported from Belize and other ports of the Bay of Hon-^'irEfe. The roots are folded and formed into bundles (sarsaparilla rotunda),h*’o or three feet long, in the interior of which are found roots of inferiorquality, stones, clumps of wood, &c. The roots or runners are fur-nished with but few rootlets. The colour is

Fig. 119. dirty or grayish brown. The cortex consists of

a thin epidermis, within which is a thick, white,amylaceous layer, which gives to this variety itsremarkable mealy appearance when broken.This cortical portion readily cracks transversely,and shells off, leaving the meditullium, which isthinner than in the Jamaica kind. The taste ofthe root is amylaceous, and ultimately somewhatacrid. Its decoction becomes intensely blue bythe addition of a solution of iodine. Its powderis fawn-coloured, and when rubbed with w'aterand tincture of iodine, becomes intensely bluishblack. From five pounds of the root of finequality about one pound of extract may be pro-cured (Hennell). A sample, examined by Mr.Battley, yielded six and a half ounces of extractfrom three pounds of root, which is about tenand a half ounces from five pounds : 874 grainsof the cortical portion of the root yielded 230grains of extract (Battley.) In one operation, inthe laboratory of a friend of mine, 170 lbs. ofroot yielded 45 lbs. of extract. According toMr. Pope , the cortex yields twice as much extractas the meditullium.

5. Vera Cruz Sarsaparilla; Mexican Sarsaparilla (Radix Sarzce deera -Cruz). This is occasionally imported from Vera Cruz, but is

^eidom met with in the drug-market. The roots are unfolded ( sarsapa-j* longa) and have the chump attached. They are thin, tough, of a|/"t grayish-brown colour, and devoid of starch in the cortex. Mr.°pe terms this variety, “ lean, dark, and fibrous.” The roots or runnersvcr J f (! "’ rootlets. It yields a deep-coloured decoction, which isRanged by a solution of iodine.

''era Cruz sarsaparilla is the produce of Smilax medica.

1 have received from Professor Guibourt the following kinds of sarsa-P ar dla;—

Lilii ^ araccas Sarsaparilla, Guib. (Hist, des Drop. t. ii. p. 577). Of this there are two0 n S ’. both of which have portions of the rhizome and aerial stem attached to them.s tern In< ^ sorte, Guib. op. cit.) occasionally presents spines on the aerial

p r The other (la seconde sorte, Guib. op. cit.) comes from Macarai'bo (Maracaibo ?),tinj Cssor Guibourt tells me he found, about three years ago, a bale of this secondi one half of which was made up of the root above referred to, which he calls

Magnified view of a section°f Honduras Sarsaparilla.

This and the preceding1Co °d-cut are from drawings^®de by my assistant, Mr.Tetheby.

"^he letters refer to the sameP a rts as those of fig. 118.

. The hexagonal cellularissue (e) abounds in starch.