(. 



,v- 



iVx 



e--: 



.1 



ts ■ 



labiatM 101 



Sind. This sto-w 



and not tlie cobra, or any other yenomous snake— is chiefly 



om 



'A 



asm 



to clean wounds and sores, and to stimulate Wealthy granulation. 



Description. — A stout, erect, l)ranclied shrubby plant ; 



glabrous, pubescent, or scaberulous- Leaves long-petioled, ovate 

 or ovate-lanceolate, singl}^ or doubly crenate-tootbed or serrate, 

 basecuneate, wborls subglobose, in dense cylindric or one-sided 

 softly hair}* spikes, bracts elliptic -ovate, exceeding the hirsute 



o 



N 



very small, black, shining. The whole plant has a strong black 

 currant odour. Roots woody, knotted; bark light brown, 

 scabrous, with an aromatic odour like that of the plant, and a 

 pungent taste, benumbing the tongue and palate when chewed. 



Chemical composition. — The most interesting principle detected 

 in the plant was an alkaloid. After repeated purification it 

 was left as a yellow varnish with slightly bitter and mouse-like 

 flavour. It was more soluble in chloroform than in ether. 

 No special colour reactions were noted. We also detected the 

 presence of trimcthylamine, and a volatile principle with a 

 cedar- wood odour. Resinous principles were also present, with 



Of^ astringent matter. 



alkaloid 



momne. 



MENTHA SYLVESTRIS, Uin. 



Fig. — Tieichb. Ic. FL Germ., /. 82; Eng. Bof. 686. Wild 

 0^ Mint {Enrj\ Menthe sauvage {Fr.). 



Hab. — Temperate W. Himalaya, Persia. The herb. 



Vernacular. — Pudhia or Pudina {Hi 



Ma) 



History, Uses, &C. — A fragrant plant named t^lvBa or 

 ^f M'"^'?, in Latin Miutlia or Mentha, was known to the Greeks and 



^^ Romans {Thcoplw., ii., 4; Plin., 19, 47; 20, 53), which was 



■ > 



