39. Fumariaceae.—Fumitory family.

Erect or climbing herbs with alternate leaves. Slightly bitter, innocent plants. Bocconia cordata (= Macleya cordata), Tree Celandine, belongs to this order (see Chelidonium). Yields protopine.

187. CORYDALIS, N.F.—TURKEY CORN. Tubers of Dicen'tra canaden'sis De Candolle. Habitat: Canada and the mountains of the United States south to Kentucky. Small, heavy, pebble-like tubers, often united, three around a common center; of a dull yellowish to a dull black color, semitranslucent; inodorous; bitter. They contain four alkaloids, the chief of which is corydaline (C₁₈H₁₉NO₄), four-sided prisms, inodorous, tasteless, insoluble in water, soluble in ether, alcohol, and chloroform. This interesting alkaloid has been found in other species of corydalis, as C. cava.

Preparation of Corydaline.—Treat the residue from evaporated tincture with dilute HCl. Precipitate with ammonia and dissolve precipitate in boiling alcohol; on evaporation of this solution four-sided prisms of the alkaloid are deposited.

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