3. I'Ris Versic'Olor, Blue Flag

I'Ris Versic'Olor, Blue Flag. Iridaceae. The rhizome and roots official 1820-1900; N. America (swampy places). Perennial herb, .6-1 M. (2-3°) high; stem angled on one side, branched, bearing 2-6 beautiful, purplish-blue flowers; leaves long, sword-shaped. Rhizome, 5-10 Cm. (2-4') long, jointed, annu-lated, 20 Mm. (4/5') broad, sub-cylindrical, grayish-brown; odor slight; taste acrid, nauseous; contains extract (resin) 25 p. c - volatile oil

Fig. 56. - Iris in bloom.

.025 p. c., isophthalic acid, sugar, phytosterol, myricyl alcohol, hepta-tosane, ipuranol, cerotic acid. Oholagogue cathartic, emetic, diuretic, alterative; costiveness, malarial jaundice, bilious remittent fever, dropsy, but is very nauseating and prostrating; less irritating than podophyllum, more purgative than euonymus. Dose, gr. 5-20 (.3-1.3

Fig. 57. - Iris versicolor: joint of rhizome and section of branches.

Gm.); extract, gr. 1-4 (.06-.26 Gm.); fluidextract (alcohol), v-20 (.3-1.3 Ml. (Cc.)); irisin or iridin ("Eclectic" oleoresin or resinoid) gr. l-4(.06-.26Gm.).

4. I. florenti'na, Florentine Orris {White Flag). - The rhizome, official 1820-1880; N. Italy (near Florence), Germany, France. Perennial plant, leaves radical, sword-shape, shorter than stem, which

Fig. 58. - Crocus sativus.

Fig. 59. - Crocus; o, stigma, upper part magnified 4 diam.; b, style with stigmas; c, papillose margin of stigma, magnified 120 diam.

rises in their midst (.3-6 M.; 1-2°) high, bearing 2 large white or bluish flowers; fruit capsule, 3-celled, many-seeded; rhizome 5-10 Cm. (2-4') long, 12-18 Mm. (1/2-3/4') thick, flattish, peeled, whitish, on upper side fibro-vascular bundles, below, many brownish scars of roots, fracture short; odor violet-like; taste mealy, bitter, acrid; contains volatile oil, starch, resin, tannin. Used as stimulant, diuretic, emetic, cathartic; fresh root irritant, for diarrhoea, bronchitis, dropsy, masticatory for perfuming breath and teething infants; for this latter the more slender pieces are peeled smoothly and whitened with chalk or magnesium oxide. This is adulterated with the rhizomes of I. pal'lida, I german'ica, I. pseudac'onis, I. foetidis'sima, all of which are somewhat darker, more astringent and acrid.

5. Cro'Cus Sati'Vus, Saffron

Cro'Cus Sati'Vus, Saffron. Iridaceae. The stigmas, official 1820-1900; W. Asia, Spain, France. Perennial herb with solid, depressed-globular conm (bulb), 2.5 Cm. (1') thick; flowers lilac, bluish-purple. Stigmas, 3-cleft, convolute, orange-red, 3 Cm. (1 1/5') long, tubular, notched above, odor peculiar, aromatic, bitter; contains picrocrocin (yielding by hydrolysis volatile oil and fructose), crocin (impure - amorphous), fixed oil, ash 5-8 p. c. Largely adulterated with florets, dyed stamens, petals, mineral matter (sodium bicarbonate, biborate, sulphate, potassium nitrate, Rochelle salt, milk-sugar, etc.), increasing ash to 17-32 p. c. There are three varieties: 1, Austrian (best); 2, French (Gatinais); 3, Spanish (inferior from presence of style bases and stigmas); known as hay saffron, as distinguished from cake saffron, which is no longer in commerce. Diaphoretic, carminative, emmenagogue, anodyne; to promote exanthematous eruptions in measles, etc., dysmenorrhoea, conjunctivitis. Dose, gr. 5-30 (.3-2 Gm.); infusion (tea), 2 p. c, ℥ij-4 (60-120 Ml. (Cc.)); tincture, 10 p. c. (diluted alcohol), 3j-2 (4-8 Ml. (Cc.)).