048 CONVOLVULACEA. 
“He is like the. Kashooth; for he has neither root, leaves, fra- 
grance, shade or fruit.” ' 
In the Indian bazars the name is applied to the fruit of a 
species of Cuscuta, imported from Persia; and also called 
Pukm-i-kasis ; it is mixed with the small oblong leaves and 
spines of the plant upon which it has grown, and the flowers 
and portions of the stem may often be found. The seeds are 
four in number, light brown, convex on one side, concave on 
the other, and enclosed in a nearly globular capsule about the 
‘size of a radish seed. The taste is bitter. Mir Muhammad 
Husain identifies this drug with the Amal-bel, Akds-bel, or 
Amarlata of India, and describes it as yellow growing on thorns : 
and other shrubs, and as having a very small, whitish flower, 
and seeds rather smaller than radish seeds, nearly round, and of 
reddish yellow colour. Its properties are described as much 
the same as those’ of Aftimun:’ The plant may be either | 
‘O. hyalina, Roth., C. chinensis, Lam., or C. planijlora, Tenore ; 
possibly dsveial species are collected. In India OC. -reflexa, 
Roxb.; is sometimes used; it is a larger plant, and has Jarger 
fruit than the imported article. 
Chemical composition.—In addition to quercitrin, we sepa- 
rated a bitter and glucosidal resin, insoluble in ether, but 
soluble in amylic aleohol, and also somewhat soluble in water. 
‘With basic acetate of lead, after the solution of the resin in: 
‘ alkalies, a light yellow precipitate was afforded ; but when the. 
_ alkaline solution was exposed to air, the precipitate with basic 
lead. was of the colour of chromate of silver. An alkaloidal- 
principle was also present in traces which failed to give any 
_ special colour reaction’. The presence of a principle in traces 
_ possessing a marked rhubarb-like odour was detected; thiS 
principle did not appear to exist ready formed in the seeds, but 
was a product of the action of dilute acids on an undetermined 
principle: it was soluble in ether and benzole. | Astringent. 
matter affording.a plum-coloured precipitate with basic acetate 
of lead a present pas well-as: wax, — a b Corkain amonnt | 
of ou. Ae tata A Toe mn 
