48 ACANTflACEJS. 



Description. — Annual, 1 to 3 feet ; stem quadrangular, 

 pointeclj smootli; leaves opposite, on short petioles, lanceolate, 

 entire upper svirface dark-green and shining, under surface paler 

 and finely granular : they vary much in size^ but the larger are 

 usually about 3 inches in length and 1 inch in breadth ; calyx 

 deeply 5-eleft ; corolla bilabiate ; lips linear, reflected, upper 

 one 3-toothed, loAver one 2-toothed; flowers remote, alternate, 

 on long petioles, downy, rose-coloured, or white streaked with 

 purple ; capsules erect, somewhat cylindrical ; seeds 3 to 4 m 

 each; root fusiform, simple, woody, with numerous fine 

 radicles. 



Chemical composition. — According to the authors of the 

 Pharmacograjyhia : — ^^ The aqueous infusion of the herb exhibits 

 a slight acid reaction and has an intensely bitter taste, which 

 appears due to an indifferent, non-basic principle, for the usual 

 reagents do not indicate the presence of an alkaloid. Tannic 

 acid, on the other hand, produces an abundant precipitate, a 

 compound of itself with the bitter principle. The infusion is 

 but little altered by the salts of iron ; it contains a considerable 

 quantity of chloride of sodium/' 



Commerce.— 'A. paniculata is not an article of commerce, hut 

 the fresh plant is sold by the herbalists and j^ardeners. 



JUSTICIA, 



Several species of Justicia are reputed to be medicinal amongst 

 the peasantry. 



Justicia Gendarussa, Linn.y /, is the Vedakodi of 



Rheede {Ilort. 3IaL ix., t 42), who says that the juice with 

 mustard is used as an emetic in asthma, and a bath of the leaves 

 in rheumatism. According to Louvet, it is emetic and very 

 efficient in the colic of children. In Reunion it is called 

 ** Gtterit petit coUque.^^ 



Descript 



itunted 



,v 



X 



I 



form, as it is kept closely cut ; the young shoots have a smooth 



