252 —. COMPOSIT 42. 
BLUMEA DENSIFLORA, DC. 
Fig.— Seem. Fl. Vit. 141, t. 27. 
Hab,—tTropical Himalaya, Malay and Fiji Islands. The 7 
camphor. 
Vernacular—Ngai (Chin.), Kai-dai-bi (Coch.-Chin.), 
Sombong, Bangachappa (Malay), Pung-ma-theing (Burm.), 
Kukronda (Hind.), Kuksungh (Beng.). The Hindi and Bengali 
names are also applied to other strong smelling Blumeas. 
History, Uses, &c.—The camphoraceous Blumeas are 
called by Sanskrit writers Kukundara and Kukkura-dru, 
“ dog-bush’’ because their pungent odour is attractive to those 
animals; the vernacular names are derived from the Sanskrit. 
Tn addition to the two plants placed at the head of this article, 
B. aromatica, DC., and B. lacera, DC., are considered by the 
Hindus to be deobstruent and resolvent, and particularly useful : 
in the disease of the nose called Ahwah, said to be peculiar to — 
Bengal, which is accompanied by strong fever, heaviness in the 
head, pains in the body, especially in the neck, shoulders and 
loins ; the powdered leaves are given internally in two drachm — 
doses mixed with butter, and also used as a snuff. The juice 
of the leaves is placed in the eye to cure chronic purulent dis- 
charges ; it is also used as an anthelmintic, and as an astringent 
in dysentery, chronic discharge from the uterus, &c. A pre- 
paration (mérana) is made by oxidizing steel filings in the 
juice of these plants, which is highly esteemed as a remedy for — 
renal dropsy. Dr. Anderson of Bijnor has found the fresh — 
juice of B. lacera useful as an anthelmintic, especially for thread — 
worms, and Dr Bolly Chand Sen of Calcutta speaks of it a8 
invaluable in Tinea tarsi. Mir Muhammad Husain in the 
Makhzan describes Kukronda as a plant two cubits in height, 
much branched, having long crenated leaves not unlike endive 
leaves, but larger and softly downy, of a dark green colour, 
pungent odour, and astringent taste ; flowers small, yellow; 
fruit like the anemony (downy) ; seeds small, black, pubescent. — 
(B. densiflora?) . : a 
