lecanoric, a. Chem.
(lɛkəˈnɒrɪk)
[f. Lecanora, the name of a genus of lichens.]
lecanoric acid: a crystalline substance obtained by Schunck from certain members of the genus Lecanora of lichens. Hence lecanorate (-ˈɔərət), a salt of lecanoric acid; lecanorin (-ˈɔərɪn) = lecanoric acid.
| 1844 Fownes Chem. 488 Fresh dye-lichens, exhausted by ether, yield a crystalline substance, which when purified by solution in alcohol, is perfectly white; to this the name lecanorine has been given. 1852 Ibid. (ed. 4) 577 Boiled with water for some time, erythric acid absorbs 2 eq. and yields picro-erythrin..and a new acid..which is termed by some chemists lecanoric, by others orsellinic acid. 1865 Watts Dict. Chem. III. 565 The lecanorates gradually decompose, especially when heated, yielding orsellinic acid, and ultimately orcin. |