Agathosma betulina (leaf)

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AHPA recognizes other valuable resources exist regarding the identity of Agathosma betulina.

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Contents

Nomenclature

Agathosma betulina (P.J. Bergius) Pillans   Rutaceae  
Syn. Barosma betulina (Bergius) Bartl. & H.L. Wendl.  
Standardized common name (English): buchu


Botanical Voucher Specimen

Organoleptic Characteristics

Odor and taste characteristic, aromatic, mint-like.

Source: Culbreth, D. (1917) A Manual of Materia Media and Pharmacology, 6th ed. [1]

Macroscopic Characteristics

Plants: Woody shrubs, 0.3-1.2 M. (1-4°) high, branches many, stiff, angular, bark smooth, purple; young twigs covered with immersed oil-glands; flowers solitary, pink; calyx 5 segments, deeply cut; petals 5, glandular-punctate; stamens 5; fruit 5-coccus capsule, adherent by inner margins, 9 Mm. (3/8') long, 12 Mm. (1/2') broad, 5-seeded.

Leaves: (B. betulina): Short, rhomboidally oval, obovate, 9-25 Mm. (3/8-1') long, 4-13 Mm. (1/6-1/2') broad, apex obtuse, recurved, serrate, finely dentate, oil gland at the base of each tooth, cuncate base, yellowish-green, coriaceous, glandular-punctate, both surfaces papillose, under longitudinally striate, petiole 1 Mm. (1/25') long.

Source: Culbreth, D. (1917) A Manual of Materia Media and Pharmacology, 6th ed. [2]

Microscopic Characteristics

Powder: Yellowish-green, microscopically-- many sphaero-crystals from epidermis and mucilage cells.

Source: Culbreth, D. (1917) A Manual of Materia Media and Pharmacology, 6th ed. [3]

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Agathosma betulina - Alkemist Laboratories.jpg
Upper epidermis showing sphaerocrystalline masses of diosmin observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories[4]

Agathosma betulina-1 - Alkemist Laboratories.jpg
Large spherical oil gland observed at 400x with Acidified Chloral Hydrate Glycerol Solution.
Source: Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories[5]

High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic Identification

Supplementary Information

Sources

  1. Culbreth, D. (1917) A Manual of Materia Media and Pharmacology, 6th ed.
  2. Culbreth, D. (1917) A Manual of Materia Media and Pharmacology, 6th ed.
  3. Culbreth, D. (1917) A Manual of Materia Media and Pharmacology, 6th ed.
  4. Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories http://www.alkemist.com
  5. Elan M. Sudberg, Alkemist Laboratories http://www.alkemist.com
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