BERBERIDEZ. 69 
PODOPHYLLUM EMODI, Wail. 
Fig.—Jacq. Voy. Bot. it., t.9. 
Hab,—Interior ranges of the Himalaya, Sikkim, Hazara, 
- Cashmere. . pres 3 
- Vernacular.—Papra or Papri, Bhavan-bakra or bakra, Chim- 
yaka (Hind.). 
History, Uses, &c.—The genus Podophyllum centains 
3 four known species, one Himalayan, one American and two 
Chinese. The Indianspecies inhabits shady valleys in the inner — 
ranges of the Himalaya, and is very abundant in Kunawur and 
_ Cashmere. The remarkable appearance of its bright red fruit 
- would lead one to suppose that it must have attracted the 
__ attention of the Hindus, and judging by the Hindi names 
4 Papra and Bhavan-bakra it is probable that it was one of the 
_ bile-expelling plants, described’ by Sanskrit writers under the 
names of Parpata and its synonym Vakra. In Hindi the 
- Sanskrit parpata becomes pd pra and vakra changes into bakra; 
_ the prefix bhavan probably means “hill” and the Hindi name 
_ would thus signify “ hill vakra” as distinguished from kshetra- 
_ vakra or kshetra-parpata, field vakra-or parpata, a name applied 
to one or more species of Oldenlandia. The modern medical 
literature of India contains hardly any information about this 
_ plant. A specimen of the root was forwarded to the Committee 
for investigating Bengal drugs, by Dr. Falconer about fifty 
years ago, but no examination of it appears to have been made. 
The plant is mentioned in the Pharmacopeia of India as a 
possible source of Podophyllin, and Stewart says that the fruit — 
_ -is ased medicinally in Lahoul. 
Description.—Stem or scape 6 to 12 inches, erect, stout, ’ 
herbaceous ; leaves 2, vernal, alternate, long-petioled, plaited 
and deflexed in vernation, 6 to 10 inches in diameter, orbi- — 
cular, 3 to 5 lobed to the middle or base ; lobes cuneate, acutel P 
serrate; peduncle terminal in bud, then apparently supra- 
axillary or inserted on the petiole of the upper leaf; flowers 1 to. - 
