N. O. BIGNONIACE/K 949
panicles. Calyx i-|in., pubescent or mature glabrate ; lobes 3-5, very short, broad. Corolla l|-2in., campanulate or ventri- cose from near base, sub-glabrous ; lobes round, crispid. Fila- ments hairy below. Capsule long, hard, woody, rugged or tuberculous, 12-30 by l-l|in., a little curved says Brandis. Valves 1-lfin. broad, woody ; edissepiment, cylindric, shining. Seeds, including the wings lj-jin., thinly discoid, in 4 rows.
Uses: — The oil from the wood is useful in cutaneous affec- tions. Dr. Gibson is of opinion that it is well worthy of atten- tion as an external application in these cases (Ph. Ind.). From some trials which I have made with it, I conclude that its properties are similar to those of Pine tar (Dymock).
908. Amphicome Emodi, Ltndl. elf.b.i., iv. 385.
Vern. : — Kaur. (Kashmir).
Habitat. : — W. Himalaya, from Kashmir to Nepal.
A perennial, erect, glabrous herb. Stem 12-24in. Rootstock woody. Leaves alternate 1-pinnate, 5~8in. Leaflets 5-9, 1-1 Jin. ovate, end one usually longest, sometimes lobed, scarcely acute. Flowers pink. Racemes not rarely 2-3 sub-panicled. Calyx, says Collett, entire or obscurely toothed ; " truncate or with triangu- lar scarcely acuminate teeth." (C. B, Clarke). Corolla l£-2f in. long, - wide at the mouth ; tube tinged with yellow. Capsule linear, slender, terete, smooth. Seeds winged.
This, a discovery of Dr. Wallich, is the original or first species of Amphi- come ; a genus of Northern India, consisting of two species. It is indeed a remarkably handsome plant, native of the mountains of Emodi, near Srinaghur and on the Suen range of hills. [Bot. Mag, December 1st, 1855.]
Parts used : — The root and stem.
Uses. — In Kashmir, the drug is prescribed for fever, and is considered a substitute for chirata.
It contains an alkaloid, an acid fat, a wax, yellow colouring matter and sugar. The alkaloid is intensely bitter and is pro- bably the active medicinal agent in the plant (Annual Report of the Indian Museum, Industrial Section, for the year 1907-8, p. 21 ; Ph. J. Vol. 79, p. 506).
