EUPHORBIACE^. 269 



Chemical composition. — Tlie bark afforded 41*7 per cent, of 

 water extract, containing 39-9 parts of tannic acid. Tlie 

 tannic acid gave a grey isli- green precipitate with, plumbic 

 acetate, and a blue-black colour with, ferric chloride. The air- 

 dried bark left 7*35 per cent, of ash on incineration* Although 

 this is one of the most astringent barks in India, it does not 

 appear to be known to, or used by, Europeans in the arts. 



CLEISTANTHUS CO'LL.INVS, Benth. 



Fig. — Beddome^ Foresters^ Ifan., 203, t 23,/. 5 ; Eo^b. Cor. 



Fh ti., 37, t. 169. Si/}?s. : Lebidiero2)'Sis orhicidaris, Miill-Arg., 

 Cluijtia colUna^ Roxb. 



Hab. ^ . 



Behar. Deccan Peninsula. 



Vernacular. — Oduvan, "VVoodacha, Nachuta {Tam.)y Kadishe 

 {Teh\y Kodasigina, Bodadaraga [Can.). 



r 



History, Uses, &C. — Under the name of Andrachne 

 CadishaWj Ainslie describes the poisonous properties of the nut 

 of this tree, called JFodooivmighai. He says: — "About one 

 pagoda weight, pounded, the Tamools believe to be sufficient 

 to kill a man; the leaves and roots of the plant are also 

 considered poisonous; the first, which no animal will touch, 

 is, in conjunction with J5rrt<r^^^/va/(chebulicmyrobalans), supposed 

 to be a good appKcation to foul ulcers. {Mat. Ind., ii., 487.) 

 Roxburo^h remarks: — '' The bark or outer crust of the capsule is 



from 



reported to be exceedingly poisonous/'^ (FL LuL, ni,, 733.) 



Description. — Capsule § of an inch in diameter, sessile, 

 woody, rounded- 3-gonous, top not lobed, dark-brown, shining 

 and wrinkled when dry. Seeds ^ of an inch in diameter, 

 globose, chestnut- brown; albumen scanty. 



Chemical composition. — The active principle of the plant does 

 not appear to be an alkaloid, but, though its chemical nature has 

 not yet been fully investigated, Mr. Newman, Assist. Chemical 

 Examiner, Madras, has discovered that it gives a. purple 

 reaction with sulphuric acid, which disappears on oxidising with 



