GRA MINEjE. 571 



obtuse; second glume thinner, with three nerves, somewhat 

 broader, but as long as the first ; third glume hyaline, smaller ; 

 fourth glume very small, hyaline or none ; no awn; at the top 

 of the pedicel three stamens not well formed and not as large 

 as in the hermaphrodite flower. (/. O. Lisboa.) 



The yield of oil from the grass was equal to that obtained 

 from A. 8ch(Enanthus ; it had a deep sherry colour, a specific 

 gravity of -931 compared to an equal volume of water at 84° F., 

 and a rotatory power of — 22-75 in a column of 100 mm. or 

 (a)o= —24-43. 



ANDROPOGON MURICATUS, Retz. 



Fig. — Beauv. Agr., t. 22, Cuscus {Eng.),Yeii\yiT[Tam.), 

 Chiendent des Indes {Fr.), 



Hab. — Coromandel, Mysore, Bengal, Northern India, 

 The roots. 



Vernacular, — Khas, Bala, Panni {Hind.), Khaskhas, Bena 

 {Beng.), Vdla, Yarelu {Mar.), Yalo, Khaskhas {Guz.), Vettiver 

 ( Tarn.}, Yattiveru ( TeL), Baladveru ( Can. ) . 



History Uses, &C. — The root of this grass, which is 

 the only part of the plant having aromatic properties, is 

 described in the Ni^hantas under the name of Fsira, and bears 

 among other synonyms those of Yirana, Yeni-mulaka "having 

 braided roots," Sugandhi-mulaka "having sweet-smelling 

 roots," Sita-mulaka " having cool roots," &c. It is considered 

 to be cooling, refrigerant and stomachic, removing bile and 

 phlegm, and useful to allay thirst in fever and inflammatory 

 affections. An infusion is used, and it enters into the com- 

 position of several cooling mixtures. Sir W. Jones suggests 

 that it is the Mrhidla mentioned in Kalidasa's Sahmtala, but 

 that name is more commonly applied to the leaf-stalk of the 

 Lotus than to the roots of this grass. All parts of the Lotus are 

 renowned for their cooling properties, and the use of the 

 Water Lily for Sakuntala's complaint appears to us to be more 

 poetical. In Yedic times the ancient Hindus were instructed 



