AmSTOLOCHIACEAi. 165 



each cell contains a column of heart- shaped flat seeds, closely 

 packed. The aj^pearance of the seeds is peculiar, they look as 

 if they had been cut out with a punch ; one side is flat, black, 

 and rough from a number of irregular projections; the other is 

 ahnost entirely occupied by two brown comparatively smooth 

 lobular projections of a soft corky structure; these under the 

 microscope are seen to be entirely composed of ovate, empty, 

 dotted cells. The whole j^lant is nauseously bitter. 



Chemical compoHitmu — The plant contains a nauseous volatile 

 substance, an alkaloid, and a large quantity of salts. The 

 alkaloid is amorphous and gives no colour reactions w^ith the 

 strong mineral acids. The bitter concentrated tincture on 

 standing deposited cubical crystals of potassium chloride. The 

 ash calculated on the air-dried plant was 17'75 per cent., and 

 strong alkaline fumes w^ere given off from the plant when 

 burning. 



Commerce, —Yohxe, Hs. 3^ per maund of 37| lbs. 



Zarawand-i-gird {Pers.,Ind. Bazars). The imported root 



of Aristolochia rotunda^ Linn., Guih. Hist, JYat., ii.,]). 371, a small 

 plant with slender stems and almost sessile, obtusely cordiform 

 leaves. The flowers are solitary in the axils of the leaves, 

 tubular, yellow without, and orange brown wdthin. The w^hole 

 plant is acrid, aromatic and bitter. The root is tuberous, 

 placcntiform, hard and heavy when dry, more or less mam- 

 raillated on the under surface, of a reddish-brown colour ; on 

 the upper surface are the remains of several stems or small pits 

 showing where they w^ere attached ; on the under surface one 

 central scar marking the attachment of the rootlets. The 

 substance is very hard and horny, and has a bitterish somewhat 

 aromatic taste^ and camphoraceous odour. 



Zarawand-i-tawil [Pers., Ltd. Bazars). The imported 

 root of Aristolochia longa, Linn., MilL Ic.^ t. 61,/. 2, a plant 

 much resembling A. rotunda, and having a similar habitat. It 

 differs from the latter plant in having petioled leaves, yellow 

 flowers striped with brown, and a cylindrical root which has much 

 the same taste and odour as that of A. rotunda. Mahometan 



