Commonly cultivated in the Northern Provinces and Nilgiris. The best gram comes to Bombay from Gujrat — Jambusar.
Use : — The vinegar is mentioned by the Sanskrit writers as a useful astringent which might with advantage be given in dyspepsia.
According to Dr. Walker) Bomb. Med. Phys. Trans. 1840, p. 67), the fresh plant put into hot water is used by the Portuguese in the Deccan, in the treatment of dysmenorrhœa ; the patient sits over the steam (Dymock).
Chick peas are extensively used in southern Bulgaria in the form of ' Leblebiji ' prepared by roasting them in a special way for a long time at 105-115°. Another perparation called 'Ssimitt' is made by fermenting a mass obtained by soaking the coarsely ground peas for 8-15 hours in water at 32-35°. The fermentation produces H, H2 S, C02 , butyric, lactic, and succinic acids, sugar, Et O H and its higher homologs, leucine, asparagine, etc., phenol, and aromatic substances. Analysis of 24 samples of chick peas before roasting showed : moisture 9.20-13.0% protein 19.10-27.05%, fat 4.6-6.10%, starch 44.89-52.80%, ash 2.36-4.30% crude fibre 2.40- 4.60%, lecithin P2 O5 (10 samples) 0.102-0.136% and total P2O5 (11 samples) 0.784-0.902%
After roasting (leblebiji), the analysis was as follows : moisture 4.90-7.20%, protein 23.80-26.10% fat 5.20-7-00% ash 2.00-3.43% crude fibre 1.62-3.15%, lecithin P2 O5 (10 samples) 0.133-0.161%, and total P2 O5 (11 samples) 0.964-0.992%.
An analysis of chick pea fat gave the following consts. : d15 0.9369-0.9376, solidification pt.— 19 50, n25 73.5-74, sapon. No. 240, acid No. 0.3-0.5, ester No. 239.5., R-M. No. 4.51, Polenske No l.1, Hehver No. 91.6, I No. 110-119, unsapon, 0.43, m. p. fatty acids 250, I no. fatty acids 129. The sprouting peas contain oxidase, Tymase, protease, diastase, and a form of reunin.
[Chemical Abstracts, Jan. 20, 1914, pp. 384-5.]
379. Lathyrus sativus, Linn., H. f.b.i. , II. 179, Roxb. 567.
Sans. : — Triputi.
Vern. :— Kesari (H.) ; Teora (B.) ; Mattar (Sind;.) ; Lâkh (Mar.) ; Lâng (Guz.).
Habitat : — Spread throughout the Northern Provinces, from the plains of Bengal to Hazara, Kashmir and Kumaon.
An annual herb, with winged stems, glabrous, much branched, with equally pinnate leaves, ending in a tendril ; leaflets 2, linear or lanceolate, stipules broad, entire. Petiole winged, terminated by a long tendril. Flowers solitary ;
