67. (Fig. 77.) COLCHICUM CORM. U. S.

Fl. ex. 60. Tinct. 30.

The corms of Colchicum autumnale L. Liliaceae.

Dry, starchy or mealy feel.

Grayish light brown.

Odorless.

Sweetish, bitter, pungent.

Large, thin-walled parenchyma cells filled with starch. Vascular tissue (spiral ducts) sparingly present. Some thick-walled porous parenchyma. Trace of suberized tissue. Starch granules single, two- and three-compound, less commonly four-compound; 7μ to 21μ; hili very prominent, centric, radiately fissured; cross bands marked, right angled but becoming indistinct centrally because of the large fissured hili.

Reddish yellow with concentrated sulphuric acid.

Ash about 3 per cent. Impurities must not exceed 5 per cent. On account of the characteristic starch granules, adulterations are quite readily detected. None or only a small amount of the starch should be pasty (use of heat to aid drying).

b

Fig. 77. COLCHICUM. Corm.

a. Parenchyma with starch.

b. Parenchyma, longitudinal view.

c. Thick-walled, porous parenchyma. d. Spiral ducts.

e. Starch granules.

f. Phloem tissue.

68. (Fig. 78.) COLCHICUM SEED. U. S.

Origin as for (67).

Fl. ex. 40. Tinct. 50.

Hard, granular feel. Seeds very hard and not easily reduced to powder.

Light brown to brown color.

Odorless.

Bitter, somewhat pungent.

Rather large endosperm cells with greatly thickened large-porous walls, with granular contents, composed of some starch granules, abundant proteid granules and oil globules. Brown epidermal cells present. Starch granules sparingly present, 2u to 6μ; cross bands quite distinct, right angled.

Ash about 3 per cent. Impurities must not exceed 5 per cent. Adulterations easily detected. There should be no trichomes, bast cells or sclerenchyma cells.

Fig. 78. COLCHICUM. Seed.

a. Endosperm cells with proteid granules and oil globules.

b. Endosperm, longitudinal view.

c. Brown epidermal cells.

d. Hypodermal cells.

69. (Fig. 79.) COLOCYNTHIS. Colocynth. U. S.

Fl. ex. 30. Tinct., coarse powder.

Bitter apple, E. Koloquinten, G. Coloquinte, Fr.

The fruit (peeled and freed from seeds) of Citrullus Colocynthis Schrader, Cucurbitaceae.

Very light yellowish brown.

Odorless.

Extremely bitter.

Parenchyma cells very large, thin walled; typical sclerenchyma cells; no characteristic cell contents; vascular tissue sparingly present. Parenchyma cells all broken and collapsed.

Ash should not exceed 14 per cent.

Powders made from fruits carefully peeled and freed from seeds should show only a very small amount of yellowish epidermal tissue and colorless sclerenchymatous cells of the seeds.