92 ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. 



As ornamental plants many are cultivated, but the Dahlia is the favourite in England- 

 In India the French Marigold is in great repute among Mussulmen, and in European gardens 

 the Coriopsis and Zinnea are frequent inmates, along with a few others* The Chrysanthemum 

 Indicum, or Christmas flower, is much less known in India than in England. 



Medicines. Under this head a long article might he written as many species are reputed 

 to possess properties of considerahle value, and douhtless many merit the reputation they hare 

 acquired, though now principally employed in domestic practice. It is not, however, my inten- 

 tion to dilate on this branch of the subject, in a work appropriated to Indian Botany, so few 

 of those favourably spoken of being natives of this country or even procurable in it. As a 

 general principle it may be remarked that many of those used in medicine are distinguished 

 for their possession of bitter and aromatic properties, and are therefore adapted to the treat- 

 ment of diseases of debility. Of this description are our Artimesia Indica and Vernonia 

 Anthelmentica, the leaves and tops of the former, in form of infusion and electuary, being 



debility 



ing ulcers ; while the seeds of the latter, which are bitter and pungent, are, as the name 

 imports, valued as a remedy against worms. On the Malabar Coast it is stated an infusion 

 ?r> w™r ^^ ^^^®^ ^^^ coughs and in flatulencies. Wedelia (or Verbesina) calendulacea 



(R. W. Icones, No. 1109) 



^» . . • ^^""^fj ^^"- Aiwi'j, 18 "pieasant ana somewnat aromatic to the taste and every part 

 ot it IS used in medicine. It is prescribed in powder and decoction in jaundice and visceral 



obstructiona. Thfi rnnf. nf ^«/»/.i/A.;,/c. r At,+t,.,^;.\ o tj. ±^ i_- _. i -ii • j. t„j:„„ 



(Anthemis) Pyrethrum, to be 



chewed, a coDious flow of saliva, hence is useful 



m toothache through its depletory action and counter irritation. The efi'ect is attributed to a 



Bote resm and fpthprml nil w'KJnK a^^^. x^^r. n.^ ?i?- -wt-.i ,-, t i i- i -l^^^ 



through 



oil which 



With 



With the exception of the last, not an Indian plant, I am not aware of any 

 prescribed by European practitioners, but some of them sfiPm fn m^r.-f a friol 



^^ ^^..^ x»ju»ui;« lu me suoject were 1 to stop here. The milky nice of several species ot 

 iiettuce, when inspissated by exposure to the sun, becomes the well known, but not now much 

 used, Lactucarmm, a narcotic of somp T^nwpr fr^c A.^«. +t,^ .*: i„*:_„ I x- „ ^e „^;„„i. 



Pan+ino^t r.e -c — \k ■' """^„"''"''««^ i" uases wnere mat arug is madmissiDie. un mc 



I nreSimt t^^'J^^ ^' T^^ .^^ ^M ^^^^^^^ ^'^ ''^ Sre^^ ^^P^te^ in domestic practice, but 

 L^auZt. tT. Tvf-^.rl'^? '\^^'^ operation, otherwise they would not be so much used 

 a?e eXwd Jtlf ? r' ^''^^fy^^^^ ov Carduacece, are bitter and stimulant, and some 

 purrtfve W?P.^U r'l'' ^"^ diaphoretic virtues. The seed of many of them a^e oily and 



Cnicus arP sfill in ,7. ^ xr X . ■^^"^"P^* anti many species ot Centauria, Larauus au" 



the Flora of lid^. p "*" . • '"^i"'''* ^' *°"^'' ^"^ febrifuges, but are nearly wanting in 

 me iiiora ot India. Euvatorium Mmmnmn. ia K«+i, :« r<k;„^^_Jj t_ t Aj x„ i,^ on 



antidote to 



£upaiorium Jyapana is, both in China and India, supposed 



.-- *vx^x^o .xx«,v uavtj oDiamea similar reput 

 post hoc not propter hoc principle. An 



eferable to the 

 leaves is however said to form an 



excellent diet drJnlr Jn^ ^; . *n^ . ^^ ^"ausiuu ui xne leaves is however said to lorm au 



medicinal 



Myriogy 



actiS mT " J-S'^""! "»^" the name of "mountain tobacco," is said to be a virulent plant, 

 tt,S'i.^corside; d "o "fficLTuf th Jt i? recommended iu putrid fevers, and in paralytic affec- 

 Many more S be mentioned tt T ''*''/'' ?"?r' ^f ">'' "^'"^ »f Panacea iapsoruW. 

 Lindfey-s Veget^le 'linTdom an'd e"UoWs etL^t? Bttirun^' ^"*^' '"^-'^''°" '" 



of wMch^rindfan'^Botl^t W nf ^Im ' ^° "^ ''"'"r" ="> "'i"' ""^ »»= '" the knowledge 



u inam Botamst has no guide more compendious than a seneral svstem of Botany, 



