250 | ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE BOTANY OF [ Synantheree. 
Europe, and the inspissated juice called Lactucarium, yielded more particularly by 
Lactuca virosa and sylvestris, is said to combine a narcotic with a diuretic power. The 
latter property is -also ascribed to the Zararacum, which as considered useful in liver 
complaints, it is interesting to find is so easily procurable all along the Indian frontier. As 
the lettuce and endive are eaten in Europe, so is Zragopogon gracilis in the Himalayas, 
but without being blanched. The roots of Succory, from which the Indian Kasnee — 
does not appear to differ, are used as a substitute for coffee, and the herbage is grateful 
to cattle, on which account it is sometimes cultivated as fodder, and succeeds well in 
northern India. Cattle also eat Sonchus oleraceus and Lactuca runcinatain India. But 
the only plant which affords any quantity of nutritious food is Helianthus tuberosus, 
or Jerusalem artichoke, which succeeds well in every part of India; its herbage also is 
esteemed as fodder, and yields, on being burnt, abundance of potash. 
But bitterness is the property which is most conspicuous and uniform in the 
Composite ; hence many of them have been employed as tonics and in larger doses, 
or where the proportion of essential oil is greater, as local stimulants, as the different kinds 
of Artemisia, Camomile, Coltsfoot, Tansy, Golden rod, Achillea, and others, of most of 
which we have seen there are analogous species in the Himalayas. In India some 
species of Artemisia are accounted highly valuable from their bitter and tonic proper- 
ties, as Artemisia indica, called dona and murwa, A. vulgaris, nag-downa, for which 
A. parviflora is substituted in northern India, and artemasia given as its Greek name; 
A. Doonense is given as ufsunteen or absinthium. A. chinensis, and it is said also A. 
vulgaris, yield the tomentum which is used as moxa and amadou, and for which that 
: would no doubt be an excellent substitute. Matricaria suaveolens 
is substituted for camomile, and atzamees (anthemis), given as the Greek’ synonime of 
buboona. Some species of Artemisia have long been celebrated as anthelmintics; in 
India Vernonia anthelmintica is specially used for this purpose. Others of this family, 
as Ptarmica and Arnica, have been employed as sternutatories ; but nothing can be more 
effectual than Myriogyne minuta (Artemisia sternutatoria, Roxb.) ; of which the latter | 
specific name is a translation of the Hindee nukh chinkhnee. Spheranthus mollis, which 
from its sensible properties was supposed would be useful in medicine, is used in N. 
India, and called khamadroos, being considered the yepoidaug of the Greeks. Several 
have been considered sudorific; and Eupatorium Ayapana, which is quite at home in 
the Calcutta Botanic Garden, is one of the most powerful, and has been strongly 
recommended for introduction as a regular article of the Materia Medica. Some of the 
Composite secrete an acrid principle, especially in their roots, as Anthemis Pyrethrum, 
known in Indian medicine bythe name akurkura. The roots of some species of Spilanthes 
are said to be possessed of similar properties. The Arnicee alone act with violence 
on the system, and some, as Arnica inontana and Doronicum Pardalianches, combine so . 
much acrid with the bitter principle as to be highly deleterious and poisonous, Many * 
plants we have seen of different families, whatever other principles they may secrete in 
other parts, lay up a store of oil in the kernels of their seeds ; so it is with many of 
this 
