FILICES. 021 



SorghumsaC charatum, Mmiclf. —DcYadhiinya 

 {SaHsJiTit.), Deodlian {RimLy Beng.), Shalu {Ma)\)y Iniphi 



A food grain of mucli value. CliurcVs analysis shows it to 

 have the following percentage composition : — Water 12"8, 

 albuminoids 11-8/ starch 68'3, oil 3-0, fibre 3'0, ash 1*1, 

 sugar 6 to 18. 



Saccharum sara, BoxL—Charnka {Sanskrit), Sarpa, 

 Sara {Hind)^ Sarabij (Benr/,), Gundra, Sura {Tafn,^ Tel), 

 Sara {Mar.). 



The seed of this grass appears to be only used in famine 

 timesj or by some of the wild tribes who use the stem for 

 making arrows. 



The seeds of Coix and Bambusa, which are also classed 

 amongst the Kshudra'dhanya, have been already noticed. 



Fcstuca indim (EKeede, xii,, 45) is used to resolve plilegmons. 



FILICES. 



POLYPODIUM VULGARE, Lhm- 



Fig.— ^y^^.JBo/., 1149; Woodv. SiqypL, t.27\. Common 

 l*oljpody (^Eng.), Polypode de chene {Fr.). 



Hab. — Persia, Europe. The rhizomes. 



VernacnJar.—J^Q.d-di] [Ind. Bazars). 



History, Uses, &C.— This fern Is the TToXvnSbcoy of Theo- 

 phrastus and Dioscorides, both of whom mention its purgative 

 properties. Dioscorides states that it is used to expel bile and 

 phlegm. Pliny (26, 37) says :— " The root of polypadion, known 



Jilicula 



thickness 



covered with cavernous suckers like those on the arms of the 

 polypus. It is of a sweetish taste, and is found growing among 



