Division: Embryophyta Siphonogama.

Family: Tax Aceae.

Pherosphaera Fitzgeraldi, F. v. M.3) occurs in the mountains of New South Wales. The leaves, distilled in February, yielded 0,108 p.c. of oil. This had a lemon-yellow color and was characterized by the following constants: d220/150 0,8705; ad + 15,1°; nD23 1,4841; S. V. 2,4 = 0,84 p. c. ester Ch3cooc10h17. With 10 vol. of 90 p. c. alcohol it does not yield a clear solution. Upon evaporation there remained a residue which congealed to a crystalline mass. Carefully fractionated, the oil was shown to consist principally of terpenes, of which d-u-pinene (nitroso-chloride, m. p. 108°) was identified. In all probability traces of limonene and dipentene are also present. Cadinene was also identified (dichlorhydrate, m.p. 116°). The oil likewise contains an aldehyde-like substance which, however, could not be identified.

1) Maiden, Useful native plants of Australia. London, Sydney 1889, p. 282.

2) Maiden, loc. cit., p. 253.

3) Baker and Smith, A research on the pines of Australia. Sydney 1910, p. 410.