Roccella tinctoria

Roccella tinctoria
    n 1: a source of the dye archil and of litmus [syn: {roccella},
         {Roccella tinctoria}]
    

Litmus \Lit"mus\, n. [D. lakmoes; lak lacker + moes a thick
   preparation of fruit, pap, prob. akin to E. meat: cf. G.
   lackmus. See {Lac} a resinous substance.] (Chem.)
   A dyestuff extracted from certain lichens ({Roccella
   tinctoria}, {Lecanora tartarea}, etc.), as a blue amorphous
   mass which consists of a compound of the alkaline carbonates
   with certain coloring matters related to orcin and orcein.
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   Note: Litmus is used as a dye, and being turned red by acids
         and restored to its blue color by alkalies, is a common
         indicator or test for acidity and alkalinity.
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   {Litmus paper} (Chem.), unsized paper saturated with blue or
      red litmus, -- used in testing for acids or alkalies.
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Roccellic \Roc*cel"lic\, a. [F. roccellique, fr. roccelle
   archil, It. & NL. roccella, fr. It. rocca a rock, because
   archil grows on rock.] (Chem.)
   Pertaining to, or designating, a dibasic acid of the oxalic
   series found in archil ({Roccella tinctoria}, etc.), and
   other lichens, and extracted as a white crystalline substance
   {C17H32O4}.
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Archil \Ar"chil\ (?; 277), n. [OF. orchel, orcheil, It. orcella,
   oricello, or OSp. orchillo. Cf. {Orchil}.]
   1. A violet dye obtained from several species of lichen
      ({Roccella tinctoria}, etc.), which grow on maritime rocks
      in the Canary and Cape Verd Islands, etc. --Tomlinson.
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   2. The plant from which the dye is obtained. [Written also
      {orchal} and {orchil}.]
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