* 



GOMMELINA GEM 509 



Chemical comjiosition. — The essence of pine-apple is prepared 

 artificially by mixing butyrate of etbyl with 8 or 10 parts of 

 spirit of wine. Pine-apple juice contains a proteid-digesting 

 ferment. Three fluid ounces disrest 10 to 15 srrains of 



grains 



coagulated albumen ; it acts equally well in acid and alkaline 

 solutions^ and best in a neutral fluid. The juice also contains 

 a milk- curdling ferment. 



The ash has the following composition : — » 



Potash - 49^42 percent. 



Magnesia ■. 8*80 „ 



Time 12*1 5 



Phosphoric acid 4'08 



Sulphuric acid •.».. trace. 



9> 



>f 



4-02 „ 



Silica 



Phosphate of iron 2*93 „ 



Chloride of sodium 17'01 „ 



Chloride of potassium "88 „ 



(Quoted by Kensington in Chemical Co77?j)osition of Foods^ 



COMMELINACEiE. 



COMMELINA BENGALENSIS, Linn. 



Fig. — Clarhey Comm. et Cyrt.^ 14, pi. iv. ; Wight I c, 

 t 2065. 



\ 



Hab. — Bengal, Peninsula, Sind, Concan. The herb. 



Vcrnaad ar.—KinchaTa {Rind.), Kachradam, Kanchara 

 (Be;^77.), Chura, Kanna {PimJ., 8ind), Kena [Mar.), Kanang- 

 karai (Tam.)^ Venna-devi-kura, Niru-kassuvu [Tel.), Hittagani 

 {Can.). 



History, Uses &C. TMs and several other species of 



Commelina are included under the Sanskrit name of Kanchata. 

 They are small herbaceous plants which appear everywhere 

 towards the end of the rainy season and are remarkable for 

 their brilliant blue flow^ers. The stems, roots, and seeds which 



