VBTICACE^. 347 



opposite, cuneate, oblong leaves, which are scabrous above and 

 downy beneath. The fruit is like a small fig and very 

 downy ; it usually grows from the stem near or beneath the 

 ground ; an interesting description of it by Dr. G. King forms 

 one of the series of Scientific Memoirs by Medical Officers of the 

 Army of India, published at the Government Printing Press, 

 Calcutta. In Bombay and the Concan the powdered fruit 

 heated with a little water is made into a kp, or poultice, 

 which is applied to buboes, which it either disperses or brings 

 rapidly to maturity. The fruit is also given to milch-cattle to 

 dry up their milk, 



■ 



The emetic properties of the plant are due to the presence of 

 saponin. 



Chemical composition. 



1 per cent, of 



tannin^ and some wax and caoutchouc-like substance . No 

 alkaloid was discovered^ but a glucosidal principle, having the 

 properties of saponin, was separated from a decoction by 

 barium hydrate. The air-dried bark yielded 13'6 per cent, of 

 mineral matter on incineration. 



Ficus gibbosa, BL King Fie. 4:, f,2 ; Wight Ic, t 650, 



is a native of the bases of the hill ranges throughout India. 

 It is a climbing shrub, and often a tree with a stem as thick 

 as a man's arm ; leaves alternate, very shortly petioled, some- 

 what ovate, suddenly acuminated, very unequally sided, cimeate 

 toward the base ; lateral nerves 3 to 4 on each side, prominent. 



tmiting 



fruit 



The Flora of British India describes four varieties of this plant. 



In Western India tl 



and gently aperient. 



barinka 



stomachic 

 the Telug5 



Chemical coynposition , — The bark contains 4'3 per cent, of 

 tannin J besides some colouring matter, a small quantity of an 

 alkaloidal principle was separated from the tincture, having no 

 very characteristic reactions with the strong acids. The ash of 

 the air-dried bark was 15 per cent. 



