MALVACEZE. 211 
History, Uses, &c.—It is doubtful whether this plant 
is a native of India. Sir J. Hooker seems inclined to think 
that it is. By some it is thought to be the Tindisha of 
Sanskrit writers, but the name Bhinda occurs in ‘Sanskrit and 
probably refers to this plant. The Arabs and Persians call it 
Bamiya; according to Ibn Baitar, Abul-Abbas describes its 
cultivation and use in Egypt asa vegetable. The Egyptians 
make a kind of polenta of the cooked, dried, and powdered 
fruit, called Naffé. The anthor of the Makhzan-el-Adwiya 
States that it is called in Bengal Vilayati-palwal, and in 
| Hindustani Bhend{, and that it is in India considered to be 
_ aphrodisiac. The modern Bengali name is Dhéras.  Palwal 
is the Trichosanthes dioica, the fruit of which is of a somewhat 
Similar shape to that of H. esculentus. In like manner a 
similarity of shape with the fruit of Lujfa acutangula (Turai) has 
given rise to the Hindustani name Rémturai. Mahometan 
_ writers describe it as cold and moist and beneficial to people of 
_ &hot temperament. Roxburgh considers it to be nourishing as 
Well as mucilaginous, and recommends it asa valuable soothing 
_ and demulcentremedy in irritation of the throat caused by cough- 
_ ing. In the Bengal Dispensatory a lozenge is recommended. 
Finally, in the Pharmacopeeia of India, the immature capsules 
_ have been made official for the preparation of the decoction, 
which is intended to be used as an emollient, demulcent and 
diuretic in catarrhal affections, ardor urine, dysuria, and 
Sonorrheea, ee 
Description.—The fresh immature capsules are from 
4—12 inches in length, about an inch in diameter at the base, 
tapering, furrowed, somewhat bristly, particularly at the ridges, 
: which correspond in number with that of the cells and valves, 
_M2., from 5—8, with a single row of smooth round seeds in 
q each cell, abounding ina copious, bland, viscid mucilage, which 
: exists more or less in all parts of the plant. 
Microscopic structure.—The hairs of the fruit. are peculiar, 
he base consisting of one large cell, to. which a number of - 
amall cells are attached ; in the-middle and outer zone of the 
Pericarp are large cavities filled with fumlage: <oe eet 
