Habitat :— Western Himalaya, from Kumaon to Kashmir.
Erect, hispid, perennial herbs, tall, simple, stem l-3ft. Radical leaves 11 by ½in. by ½in. Cauline leaves 3 by ½in ; acute ; narrow lanceolate. Spike, terminal, solitary, 12by 2-3in., usually very dense. Flowers purple ; sepals l-l½in., linear. Corolla-tube ⅔in., mouth ¼-⅓in. diam. Style shortly bifid ; stigmas 2, capitate. Nutlets 1/6in., ovoid, suddenly acute, nearly as broad as long.
Use : — The plant is considered useful in diseases of the tongue and throat (Stewart).
827. M. perennis, Boiss. h.f.b.i., iv. 177.
Habitat : — Alpine Western Himalaya, from the Karakorum and Kashmir to Kumaon.
Herbs, with perennial roots Stem solitary or several, undivided or hirsute. Cauline leaves l-2in., sessile. Cymes Compoud, 3-4in. diam., spikes short, many-flowered or subcapitate. Sepals ⅓-¾in., lanceolate-linear, sepals in flower, says C. B. Clarke, ⅓-½in. patently hirsute ; in fruit sometimes nearly lin., and sublanceolate. Corolla purple, tube as long as the sepals in flower, or exceeding them by 1/10-1/5in., lobes 1/6in., varying in breadth. Flowers dimorphic, one form having ½-exserted anthers and short, 2-lobed stigmas, the other with included anthers between the capitate stigmas. Nutlets nearly as in M. Benthami, but larger (C. B. Clarke).
Uses : — The bruised roots of this plant are applied to eruptions, and, along with Onosma echioides and one or two other roots, constitutes the Ruttanjot of the Punjab and the North- West Himalayas. In Afghanistan, it is used to relieve tooth-ache and ear-ache (Aitchison).
{{c|{{larger|828. Onosma echiodes, Linn. h.f.b.i. iv. 178.
Vern. :— Ratanjot (H.); Newar, maharangi (Nepal) ; Ratan-jot, maharanga, láljari, koame (Pb.).
Habitat :— Kashmir and Kumaon.
A biennial, patently hispid, herb. Stem 8-10in. Cauline leaves 2½ by ½in. oblong. Racemes elongate, often forked, in
