424 LEGUMINOSZ. 
“injured the tubers exude a sticky juice, which on hardening 
becomes red and translucent. The taste is sweet and astrin- 
gent. When roasted or boiled, the tubers lose much of their 
astringency, and taste like roasted chestnuts. 
Chemical composition— 
Yellow resin soluble in ether 1°64 
Sugar and gum — 25°47 
Asparagin 4°13 
Albuminoids eres dare 
Tannin trace. 
Starch 40°12 
Cellulose ‘ 12°16 
Ash : oes 3°44, 
100-00 
The yellow pigmental resin gave a blood-red colour with sul- — 
phuric acid, dissolved with red solution in alkalies, and was re- 
precipitated in yellow flocks by acids and green with ferric 
chloride. The dried tubers afforded 2°47 per cent. of nitrogen. 
PUERARIA TUBEROSA, De. 
_ Fig.— Wight Ie. t. 412. 
Hab.—-Western eens tropical zone. W. Peninsula, — 
Orissa. 
- Debrelara (Paharia). 
History, Uses, &c -— Roxburgh remarks that the root is 
an immense tuber, with acrid properties, and that it is used as — 
a cataplasm to reduce swellings of the joints. O” Shaughnessy 
Vernacular.—Sural, Siali (Hind.), Dari, Gimodi (Tel.), 
& 
says that it is a native of the Punjab, and Cleghorn states that : 
the tubers are exported to the plains. It may possibly be the ‘a 
Shurava of Sanskrit writers. 
Description.—The tubers of P. tuberosa vary in size aid. 
: —. they are pyriform or spindle-shaped, ranging in si 
froma — rants oe bandas. ; acd are developed apes 
