COMMON MEADOW SAFFRON.
85
Ha*.—Moist rieh meadowsin many parts of England and in various countriesof Europe.
Collection. —The activity of the cormus varies at different seasons of theyear. 1t is greatest about the months of July and August, that is, between thewithering of the leaves and the sprouting forth of the flower. At this period thenew cormus is fully developed, and has not exhausted itself by the produetionof the flower. But many of the cormi brought to market have already pushedforth their flowers, which are broken off, soas to prevent the circumstance frombeing observed. "1 have seen many cwts." says Dr. Lindsay, (Flora Medica,p. 589,) "sent to tovvn in this State, which nevertheless found a ready sale, andat the best price." The seeds should be gathered when fully ripe. The Londonmarket is principally supplied from Gloucestershire, but partly also from Hamp-shire and Oxfordshire.
Desckiption. —The cormus, commonly called the bulb or root, when gatheredat the proper season, is about the size of a chestnut, and somewhat resemblesin externa! appearance the bulb of the common tulip (Talipa, Gesneriana);which as well as other liliaceous bulbs, are distinguished from the cormus ofColchicum by being composed of laminee or scales, whereas the cormus of Col-chicum is solid. 1t is rounded on one side, flattened on the other, where is per-ceived the fibrous germ of a new cormus, which, if allowed to grow, shoots upand bears the flower, while the old cormus wastes, becomes insipid, and inert.It is covered by .two coats, an inner reddish yellow one, and an external brownone. Internally, the cormus is white, fleshy, solid, contains a milky Juice, isvery feculent, and has an acrid bitter taste. « Before drying the cormus, itshould becuttransversely in thin slices, the dry coats being previously removed,"(Ph. Land.) The slices are to be quickly dried, in a dark airy place, with aheat not exceeding 170° F. (Battley, Land. Med. Rcp. xiv. 429,) Dr. A. T.Thomson (ditto, p. 344,) recommends the slices to be dried upon clean whitepaper, wiihowt artificial heat, but the time required for this is an objeetion to itin practice. The dried slices (radix siccata, Offic.) should be about the eighthor tenth of an inch thick, rounded, oval, with one noteh only on one part of theircircumference (not fiddle-shaped), inodorous, of a grayish-white colour and anamylaeeous appearance.
The seeds (semina) are about the size of those of white mustard, odourless,and have a bitter acrid taste. Their other qualities have been described above.Composition. —The Colchicum cormus was analyzed in 1810 by Melandriand Moretti, (Bull, de Pharm, vol. ii. p. 217,) in 1818 by Stoltze, (Thomson'sOrg. Chem. 846,) and in 1820 by Pelletier and Caventou, (Journ. de Pharm.vi. 364.) J •
I
Analysis of Pelletier and Caventou.
Stoltzc's Mnalysis.
Fatty matter com-posed of
l Olein.< Stearin( Volatili
tile aciit
SapergaTlate of veratria.
Yellow colouring matter.
G u in.
Starch.
Iimlivi in abundance.
Lignin.
Ashes, a miaute quantity.
Colchicum cormus.
Volatile acrid matter.........
Soft resin..................
Crystallizable sogar.'..!.....'.!
Uucrystallizable sogar........
Bitter extractive..............
Uimcultly solubile extractive...
Gum, like tragacantli. .......
Starch........................
liignin .......................
Extractive, soluble in potash.Water........................
Cormiathered
trace004
5-91
J-30
0-817402-320C18104
Ditto inOctoher.
ratber mote
0 00
1-12
) 2'72
\ 2-17
0-52
1-65
1012
1-61
0-52
80-31
[[Colchicum cormus.......................| 99-90
100-80
Veratria will be described liereafter (vide Asagrtea oßcinalis).
The existence in Colchicum seeds of a new principle, called cokliicina, colchicia, or colchi-cine, has been announeed by Geiger and Hesse. (Joarn. de Chim. x. 465.) It was prepared bydigesting Colchicum seeds in boiling alcohol; this dissolved a supersalt, which was preeipitatedby magnesia, and the preeipitate treated with boiling alcohol. By evaporation, colchicina was