550 . AROIDE^. 



the plant, as well as of the two other species mentioned, will be 



be found in Koxburgh's Flora Indica, 



PISTIA STRATIOTES, Linn. 



Fig. — Boxh. Cor. PL m., t. 268 ; Rheede, Sort. Mai. m.^ 

 t. 32. Water soldier {Eng.), 



Hab. — Tanks and ponds of India. The whole plant. 



Vernacular. — Jal-Kunbhi (^m^,)^ Gonddla, Sherval {Mar.), 

 Agasatamaray [Tarn). 



History, Uses, &C. — Amongst the Sanskrit names of 

 this plant we may notice Jalodbhuta^ Jalasaya^ Guccha-bodhra 



Paniya 



This 



aquatic plant is a native of Asia, America, and Africa ; it is 

 considered by the Hindus to be cooling and demulcent, and 

 is prescribed in cases of dysuria in the quantity of about 

 ten pagodas' weight twice daily ; the leaves are made into a 

 poultice for the piles. [AinsUe.) The ashes are applied to 



ringworm of the scalp, and in some parts of India are known 

 as 'Pana salt.' 



A notice of the plant will be found in Arabic and Persian 

 medical works under its Greek name oT-partwrjjs-. 



Description. — Often found floating on stagnant pools, 

 leaves sub-rotund, obcordate, rosulate, waved on the margins, 



■un 



at the base; spadices axillary, solitary, seated on a short 

 scape. 



Chemical composition. — The plant and salt have been examined 

 by Warden of Calcutta, who reports that the weed dried at 

 130° C. and carbonized yielded 31 per cent, of total ash, of 

 ~]--'^ 6 percent, was soluble. The sample of "salt" was 

 sUghtly deliquescent, alkaHne in reaction, and had the appear- 

 — "f dirty common salt. Dried at 130° it yielded 73 per 



f potassic chloride, 22-6 per cent, of potassic sulphate. 



which 



ance 



