53 



TERMINALIA CHEBULA 



54 



remained at a certain distance of time fairly legible, those on the 

 other papers were so faded as hardly to be discerned. 



The excrescences called by the Hindoos of the Circars Aldecay, 

 and by the Tamuls Cadacay, are galls of an irregufer shape found 

 on the leaves of this tree. I know nothing more of their natural 

 history, having never ventured so far among the mountains, as 

 where they are found, but I presume it is similar to that of other 

 galls, that is, they are produced from punctures made on the 

 tender leaves, by some insect, for the reception of her eggs. The 

 natives say they are produced by a particular wind which blows 

 at a certain season of the year. These galls are sold in every 

 market, being one of the most useful dying drugs with which the 

 natives are acquainted. With them and alum, the best and most 

 durable yellow is dyed, and in conjunction with ferruginous mud, 

 a black is procured from them. They are much used also by the 

 chints-painters. They seem to possess a stronger astringent quality 

 than the fruit ; at least an ink made with them resisted the 

 weather longer than the ink prepared with the fruit. I have little 



doubt of these galls bein 



the dru 



introduced into England 

 under the name of Bengal beans, Fabae Bengalenses, and recom- 

 mended as a strong astringent." 



I have found upon the leaves of the tree the larva of a Coccus 

 or Chermes. They are about three-eighths of an inch long, and a 

 quarter of an inch broad, flat below, convex above, and composed 

 of twelve annular segments. Eyes obscure, upon the anterior 

 margins ; antennas short, hairy, moniliform ; mouth between the 

 anterior pair of legs. Legs 6, hairy, for creeping only. No tail. 

 They are replete with a bright, rich yellow colour. 



Could these insects be collected in any quantity, I am inclined 

 to think, that they might prove as valuable a yellow dye, as 

 the red dye procured from the cochineal insect. The follow- 

 ing is the Hindoo directions for dying yellow, with Myrobalan 

 galls. 



For dying six square yards of bleached Calico. 



first bucked with cow-d 



and afterwards well 



washed. Half a pound of the galls in powder, is infused in a 

 quantity of boiling water, sufficient for twice wetting the cloth. 

 In the infusion when cold, the cloth is repeatedly dipped, 



; then, without wringing, well dried either 



till completely wetted ; 



in the sun or the shade. The same operation is once more repeated 

 in the remnant of the same cold infusion. 



The dried cloth is now to be steeped in a solution of alum, and 

 again well dried. Finally it is washed in an alkaline lye. 



From my own experiments, I think that the alkaline lye hurts 

 the colour ; that the dye may be improved by preparing the cloth 

 with a solution of alum, and that some slight degree of coction is 

 required to extract the colouring principle of the galls. 



Of the medical virtues of the Myrobalans, I have nothing to 

 offer from my own experience. They are disregarded by the late 

 writers on the materia medica in Europe, and the colleges of 

 London and Edinburgh have rejected them from their catalogues 

 of officinal simples.t 



* Dale Pharmacologia, p. 305. Geoffroy Medicamens Exotiques, Vol. III. p. 13 1. 

 t The Myrobalans continue still in repute among the Arab physicians in Syria and 



■ 



gypt, under the name Haleelidge, JJj& P. Russell. 



198. TERMINALIA BELLERICA. 



Myrobalanus Bellerica. Breyn. icon. 18. tab. 4. 



Tani. Rheed. mal. 4. p. 23. t. 10. 



Toandy of the Telingas. 



Tandra Maram of the Tamuls. Kcenig 



Leaves crowded about the extremities of the branches, petioled, 



oval, entire, firm, smooth, six or seven inches long, and two 

 and a half broad. 



Petioles round, 2-3 inches long ; two opposite glands on the upper 



side of the apex and sometimes one near the base. 



Spike axillary, solitary, simple, erect. 



Flowers small, dirty gray colour. Male towards the apex of the 



spike, hermaphrodite below. 



Drupe oval, somewhat pentagonal, size of a nutmeg, fleshy, covered 



with a gray silky down. The kernels of the fruit are eaten 

 by the natives; they taste like filberts, but are reckoned 

 intoxicating when eaten in great quantity. 



This species is also a native of the mountainous parts of the 



Circars ; one of the largest trees, with an erect trunk and a very 

 large spreading head. 



The natives do not use any part of the fruit of this tree in 

 medicine, so far as I can learn. The wood is white, rather soft, 



not durable, and seldom used. 



bark 



large quantities of an insipid gum issues, which resembles gum 

 arabic, is perfectly soluble in water, and burns in the flame of a 

 candle into black gritty ashes, with little smell in fuming. The 



flowers have a Strong offensive smell, not unlike Sterrnlia frefirla 



199. 



MIMOSA EBURNEA 



Linn, suppl. 43 7 . 



Trunk very trifling. 



Branches remote, spreading in every direction, exceedingly stiff. 



Bark ash-colour'd. 



Thorns stipulary, very large, united at the base, straight, round, 



smooth, very sharp and solid, covered (except the sharp 

 brown point) with a white, smooth crust ; from 1 to 2 inches 



1 



on 



/ 



Leaves scatter'd 



4-8 pair, half an inch long. Leaflets 



minute. 



Gland one, large, flat, on the common petiole, just below the 



lowermost pair of feathers. 

 Peduncles axillary, from three to six, length of the leaves, jointed 



and bracted near the middle, each bearing a small globular 



head of yellow corollets. 

 Stamens many, distinct. 



iptacle 



Chaff- 



calyx. 



Ape 



x 



liated, length of the 



Legumes very numerous, about three-eighths of an inch broad, and 



ted in various d 



Seeds 



VOL. II. 



Is a native of forests ; a small ill looking tree, or large ramous 

 rigid shrub. Flowering time the cold season. 



