76. Iris florentina.—Orris root.

76. IRIS FLORENTINA.—ORRIS ROOT. The rhizome of I'ris florenti'na, Iris pallida, and Iris germanica Linné. Habitat: Northern Italy. In clubshaped pieces or joints, from 75 to 125 mm. (3 to 5 in.) in length, a broad depression or scar terminating the broad end. Externally white, peeled; fracture short, mealy, faintly yellowish white; odor violet-like; taste mealy, bitterish, and somewhat acrid. It contains iridin, irone, C₁₃H₂₀O, a ketone of violet odor, acrid resin, starch, mucilage, bitter extractive, and orris camphor, consisting of a fat impregnated with volatile oil. Cathartic, diuretic. Dose: 5 to 15 gr. (0.3 to 1 Gm.). Chiefly used in tooth-powders and perfumes. (Highly magnified starch grains of Iris, see Fig. 286.)

A Manual of Organic Materia Medica and Pharmacognosy, 1917, was written by Lucius E. Sayre, B.S. Ph. M.