QUASSIA

This article appears in Volume V22, Page 718 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: PYR-RAY

QUASSIA , the generic name given by Linnaeus to a smallor five pairs, with a terminal odd one, of short-stalked, oblong, blunt, leathery leaflets, and inconspicuous green

flowers

FLOWERS, ARTIFICIAL

. The fruit consists of black shining drupes about the size of a pea. It is found also in other West Indian islands, as

Antigua

ANTIGUA

and St Vincent. Quassia amara is a shrub or small tree belonging to the same natural order as Picraena, viz. Simarubaceae, but is readily distinguished by its large handsome red

flowers

FLOWERS, ARTIFICIAL

arranged in terminal clusters. It is a native of Panama,

Venezuela

VENEZUELA

, Guiana and northern Brazil. Jamaica quassia is imported into England in logs several feet in length and often nearly one foot in thickness, consisting of pieces of the trunk and larger branches. The thin greyish bark is usually removed. The

wood

WOOD, ANTHONY A2 (1632-1695)
WOOD, JOHN GEORGE (1827—1889)
WOOD, MRS
HENRY
- HENRY
- HENRY (1129-1195)
- HENRY (c. 1108-1139)
- HENRY (c. 1174–1216)
- HENRY (Fr. Henri; Span. Enrique; Ger. Heinrich; Mid. H. Ger. Heinrich and Heimrich; O.H.G. Haimi- or Heimirih, i.e. " prince, or chief of the house," from O.H.G.
  heim
  - HEIM, ALBERT VON ST GALLEN (1849- )
  - HEIM, FRANCOIS JOSEPH (1787-1865)
  , the Eng.
  home
  - HOME
  - HOME, DANIEL DUNGLAS (1833-1886)
  - HOME, EARLS OF
  , and rih, Goth. reiks; compare Lat. rex " king "—" rich," therefore " mig
- HENRY, EDWARD LAMSON (1841– )
- HENRY, JAMES (1798-1876)
- HENRY, JOSEPH (1797-1878)
- HENRY, MATTHEW (1662-1714)
- HENRY, PATRICK (1736–1799)
- HENRY, PRINCE OF
  BATTENBERG
  - BATTENBERG
  (1858-1896)
- HENRY, ROBERT (1718-1790)
- HENRY, VICTOR (1850– )
- HENRY, WILLIAM (1795-1836)
[ELLEN] (1814—1887)
WOOD, SEARLES VALENTINE (1798—188o)

is nearly white, or of a yellowish tint, but sometimes exhibits blackish markings due to the mycelium of a fungus, The

wood

WOOD, ANTHONY A2 (1632-1695)
WOOD, JOHN GEORGE (1827—1889)
WOOD, MRS
HENRY
- HENRY
- HENRY (1129-1195)
- HENRY (c. 1108-1139)
- HENRY (c. 1174–1216)
- HENRY (Fr. Henri; Span. Enrique; Ger. Heinrich; Mid. H. Ger. Heinrich and Heimrich; O.H.G. Haimi- or Heimirih, i.e. " prince, or chief of the house," from O.H.G.
  heim
  - HEIM, ALBERT VON ST GALLEN (1849- )
  - HEIM, FRANCOIS JOSEPH (1787-1865)
  , the Eng.
  home
  - HOME
  - HOME, DANIEL DUNGLAS (1833-1886)
  - HOME, EARLS OF
  , and rih, Goth. reiks; compare Lat. rex " king "—" rich," therefore " mig
- HENRY, EDWARD LAMSON (1841– )
- HENRY, JAMES (1798-1876)
- HENRY, JOSEPH (1797-1878)
- HENRY, MATTHEW (1662-1714)
- HENRY, PATRICK (1736–1799)
- HENRY, PRINCE OF
  BATTENBERG
  - BATTENBERG
  (1858-1896)
- HENRY, ROBERT (1718-1790)
- HENRY, VICTOR (1850– )
- HENRY, WILLIAM (1795-1836)
[ELLEN] (1814—1887)
WOOD, SEARLES VALENTINE (1798—188o)

has a pure bitter

taste

TASTE (from Lat. taxare, to touch sharply; tangere, to touch)

, and is without odour or aroma. It is usually to be met with in the form of turnings or raspings, the former being obtained in the maufacture of the " bitter cups " which are made of this wood. The

chief

CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

constituent is a bitter neutral principle known as quassin. It exists in the wood to the extent of about -N%. It forms crystalline needles soluble in alkalis, chloroform and 200 parts of water. There is also present a volatile oil. The wood contains no tannin, and for this reason quassia, like chiretta and calumba, may be preserved with iron. The infusion is useful as a bitter tonica group of substances of which calumba is the typeand is also a very efficient anthelmintic for the threadworm (Oxyuris vermicularis). It is toted by brewers as a substitute for hops.

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