Sagapenum is a gum-resin obtained from a species of Ferula, said
by some authorities to be Ferula Persica, Willd., and by others
F. Szoritsiana, DC. (N.O. Umbelliferae), growing in Arabia and
Persia. It is imported in varying quantities into India by the
Persian Gulf and coasts of Arabia, generally arriving in masses
of 4 to 10 pounds in weight and tied up in coarse cloth, but
occasionally parcels of fine, separate tears are to be seen;
most of it, however, comes to London. Sagapenum occurs in yellow
or yellowish-red, semi-transparent, agglomerated granules,
resembling galbanum, but having a darker colour. When fresh some
of the tears have a greenish tinge and are more or less opaque;
but on keeping they become brownish-yellow and translucent. The
odour is alliaceous, somewhat similar to but less disagreeable
than that of asafetida, and more powerful than that of galbanum,
becoming more pronounced on heating. The taste is bitter and
acrid. On breaking a tear the fractured surface does not appear
pink as in th