426 . SCITAMINEM. 



Vernacular. — Ban-ada {Bong.), Nisa, Mulabari-halad {MaT.\ 

 Karpushpu {Tel.)^ Ban-adruk, Ban-adi {Bind.). 



History, Uses, &C. — This plant, in Sanskrit Vaarn- 



draka or ^'wild ginger," tkough not mentioned in the Rdja 

 Nirghanta, appears to be well known in most parts of India 

 as a domestic remedy among tke peasantry^ wlio rnb down 

 the tubers with water for administration in diarrhoea and 

 colic. Though Roxburgh has named this plant Cassumtmar, 

 it appears to be very doubtful whether its roots have ever 

 been exported to Europe or have everbeen an article of commerce 

 in India. Kattu-mannal is a Malabar name for the yellow 

 ^edoary, and it appears to be this plant which has furnished the 

 Cassumunar root of the druggists (cf. Pereira^ Mat, Med., 

 ii., Pt. 1, p. 236), In odour and taste both roots are very 

 similar. The Marathi name Kisa is Sanskrit and signifies 

 '* turmeric/' and seems to indicate that the tubers of this 

 plant are used as a substitute for that article by the 

 peasantry. 



Description. — The fresh rhizomes are 1 to 2 inches in 

 diameter, jointed, compressed, with numerous white fleshy 

 radicles, to some of which white tubers are attached. Each 

 Joint of the rhizome is furnished with a leaf bud. The 

 epidermis is scaly, light-brown, the interior of a rich golden 

 yeUow, the odour is powerful and not very pleasant, like a 

 mixture of ginger, camphor, and turmeric ; the taste hot and 

 camphoraceous. 



Microscopic structure. — The epidermis is formed of many 

 layers of compressed and obliterated cells. The parenchj^na 

 consists of large polyhedral cells ; those in the cortical portion 

 of the rhizome are nearly free from starch, but those m the 

 central portion are filled with large ovoid starch granules. In 

 all parts of the rhizome large ceUs full of a golden-yellow 



r-^ential oil abound. The vascular system resembles that 

 of turmeric. 



