CYPERACEuE. 555 



ditches along with Scirpiis subulatiis, V'ahl. ;: both plants are 

 called Lav^la in Marathi, a name which appears to be equiva- 

 lent to the English Rush. 



Microscopic structure, — The outermost layer of the cortical 

 portion is composed of large bundles of reddish-brown stony 

 cells, separated from one another by interspaces ; within it are 

 from 6 to 8 rows of very thick- walled, empty cells; next a tissue 

 of thick-walled cells^ most of them full of large starch granules, 

 but some containing essential oil and probably resinous matter. 

 The central portion of the tuber is separated from the cortical 

 by a single row of small yellow stone cells ; it is composed of 

 ihick-walled cells full of starch Kke those ia the cortical por- 

 tion, but differs from it, inasmuch as many of the cells contain 

 red colouring matter. Large vascular bundles abound in the 

 root, some of them are surrounded by a layer of stony cells. 



Commerce. — Two kinds of Nagarmotli are met with in this 

 market — Surat and Kattiawar ; the first is heavier and more 

 aromatic than the second. Value— Surat, Rs. 2 per maund of 

 37^ lbs. ; Eattiawar, Rs. i|. The Surat Nagarmoth is probably 

 obtained from Rajputana, where the plant is common in tanks. 



ScirpUS Kysoor, Roxb. Vern.—Ka.siv6. {Hind.), 

 Kachara [Bomb.). The tuberous root found in tanks, about the 

 size of a nutmeg, and of a black colour externally, has astringent 

 properties, and is given in diarrhoea and vomiting. 



We have met with two other species of Cyperus, yielding 

 edible tubers. The one, called "Thegi" in Guzrathi, is 



probably C. bulbosus. It grows in the sand on the coast of 

 Kattiawar, and is used as a bread-stuff at all times, and was of 

 much value in the last famine. The tubers are ovoid and 



J 



pointed, about i of an inch in length, horny and translucent, 

 brittle when dry and farinaceous when powdered. The other 

 is called " Pudhya " in Marathi ; it grows in salt rice-fields, and 

 is eaten in the Southern Conean. The tubers are half an inch 

 or ^ttle more in length, surface brown, with the remains of 

 laembranaceoufl sheaths arising from four transverse rings, 

 "^i^d, white and mealv within. 



