ACANTFJACEJ^. 43 



r 



alDoiind in mucilage, are used as an emollient fomentation in 

 rheumatism and neuralgia. 



Description. — A common sliruL in and on tlie edges of 

 salt or brackish lakes, marshes^ &o. Roots ramousj stems many, 

 erect; branches few, bark smooth; prickles stipulary, four-fold, 

 shortj but very sharp. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, oblong, 

 scolloped, waved, spinous^ dentate, polished on both sides, 

 of a firm texture, from four to six inches long, and about two 

 broad- Spikes generally terminal, sometimes axillary, erect. 

 Flowers solitary, opposite, large, blue, inodorous. Capsule 

 oblong, ovate, smooth, size of an acorn, 2-celled, 2-valved. 

 Seeds two in each cell, obliqviely cordate, compressed. 

 (Roxhirgh). 



Chemical composition. — The powdered leaves yielded to ether 

 a quantity of fatty matter coloured strongly with chlorophyll 

 and some soft resins. Alcohol removed more resin, an organic 



acid, and a bitter alkaloid. The alkaloid gave a reddish-brown 

 colour with sulphuric acid, and was precipitated from its 

 solutions by the usual reagents, including the volatile and fixed 

 alkalies. Some soluble saline matter was present in the 

 extracts of the leaves, and contributed largely to the IC'4 per 

 cent, of total ash obtained from the air- dried leaves. 



BARLERIA PRIONITIS, Linn. 



Fig. — Jiheede, Hort. Mai. ix,, t. 41 ; Wight Ic, 452 ; Rumph. 

 Herb, AmK vil.^ 13. 



L 



Hab, — Tropical India. The plant. 



Vernacular. — Jhinti, Katsareya' {ZT^mc/.), Kantajati {Beng.)y 

 Vajradanti, Kalsunda, Pivala-koranta {2lar.\ Shemmulli, Vara- 

 mulli (Tf/m.), Mdlu-govinda ( Tel), Kanta-shelio ( Guz.\ Goratige, 

 Gorati f^Can.). 



History, Uses, &C,— This small shrub is the Kuranta, 

 Kuruvaka or Kuravaka of the Hindu poets, who compare its 

 yellow flowers to a flash of lightning. In the Gita Govinda the 



