CYPERUS PERTENUrS. ' 265 



of root is applied to the palms and eoles, while powdered nigella 

 seeds and long pepper are given internally with wine, 1 This root 

 enters also into the composition of some complex prescriptions 

 for internal use, as for example the Ldngali gutikd described in 

 the Bhavaprakc4sa. 



NAT. ORDER. SMILACE^E 



SMIL AX CHINA, Linn. 

 Sans. vfHfapij Chohachini. Vern. Ohohchini. Hind. 

 Fluckiger and Hanbury state that "the use of this drug as a 

 remedy for syphilis was made known to the Portuguese at Goa 

 by Chinese traders about A. D. 1535." If this statement, which ia 

 given on the authority of Garcia d'orta, is correct, the history of 

 this drug will enable us to fix the approximate age of the latest 

 and most comprehensive treatise on Sanskrit Medicine, namely, 

 the Bhavaprakasa. In this work China root is described under 

 its vernacular name of chobchini, as a root like Acorus Calamus t 

 brought from a fpreign country and useful in rheumatism, 

 epilepsy, insanity and particularly in syphilis. 2 It ia used in 

 modern Hindu medicine as an alterative along with anantamul 

 and other drugs of reputed efficaoy in syphilis and rheumatism. 





* 



NAT. ORDER CYPERACE/E. 



CYPERUS ROTUNDUS, Linn. 

 Sans, g^, Mustaha. Vern. Muthd, Beng. Mothd, Bind. 



CYPERUS PERTENUIS, Roxb* 



Sans. ?TPTt^r^, NdgaramustaJca, Vern. Ndgarmiithd, Beng. Hind. 

 The tubers of these two species of Gyperus are much used in 

 Hindu medicine. Gyperus rotundus is the most common variety 



1 • i^N surfer: ufinr ^TfaraTf ^ i wnich «w: fqwif^r: 



^mtt 









firorwrcrfirft 



*n*ra mm: 



maintained 



speoiea ; it ia a variety of the 0. rotundus of Linnsoaa. G. K. 



34 







