LOGANIAOE&. - 505 
Description.—The general structure of the bark re- 
_ sembles that of S. Nua-vomica, but it it of a rusty colour, and 
the small lenticels upon it, instead of being pale, are of a bright 
_ Tusty brown. The pieces of wood vary much in size, and are 
4 more knotty and crooked than those of 8. Nua-vomica; they are 
_ often as thick asa man’s arm. The texture of the wood is 
_ closer, harder, and of a deeper colour ; when touched with nitric 
acid it turns ef a reddish orange. Under the microscope the 
Zone of stone-cells in the bark is seen to be wider and more 
irregular than in S. Nua-vomica, and the cells themselves 
are bright yellow, and larger. 
Chemical composition.—The wood was found by Pelletier and 
ventou to contain strychine and brucine. H. G. Greenish 
i Journ. [3] ix., 1013) confirmed the presence of | 
th alkaloids in the bark and wood, the strychnine reaction 
eing especially well marked in the alkaloid from the bark. 
lis analysis gave 0°96 per cent. of alkaloids in gh dry wood, 
d 5-54 per cent. in the dry bark. 
STRYCHNOS POTATORUM, Linn. ¢ 
Fig.—fozb. Cor. Pl. i., t. 5; Wight IU. ii., t. 156; @artn: 
ruct. %., t. 179. Clearing nut (Hng.). 
-Hab.—Deccan Peninsula, Prome, Ceylon. The seeds. 
Vernacular.—Nirmali (Hind., Beng., Guz.), Nivali, Katak, 
ailbij (Mar.), Chillbij (Can.), Tetran-kottai (Tam.), Chilla- 
njalu (Tel. ), Tetran-parala (Mal.). 
istory, Uses, &c.—This seed, in Sanskrit Kataka or 
‘buprasada (ambu, water; prasdda, clearness), has been in 
in India from the earliest ages for the purpose of clearing 
ywater. Kalid4ésa says :—*‘ the ignorant man is refined 
Srey. of the learned as water is by the Kataka.” 
u (vii. 67) alluding to the popular saying that to name 
Ratake ; is sufficient to purify water, remarks: “Though 
e fruit of the Kataka purifies water, yet the water 
pure, Se faith without nore avails | 
