11 



ci-ystals and near the periphery are a few resin (?) canals. The 

 latter are in such a position that they may be removed by the 

 scraping which the root often undergoes in preparation for 

 the market. 



Adulteration is not uncommon. Rootstocks of Centaurea, 

 Adenophora, Angelica, Platycodon, Eehmatmia, etc., are used in 

 the East, Camjtanula gJauca being said to be common in Japanese 

 Ginseng. Sium Ninsi was formerly confused with Ginseng, 

 perhaps, because it Avas offered as a substitute. 



Roots of Ginseng once used for making an extract are not 

 uncommonly dried and fraiidulently sold for good roots. 



An enquiry into the medicinal value of the more highly priced 

 Ginsengs may prove of some scientific interest. The sums given, 

 e.g., three hundred shillings for one single root, would seem 

 incredible were the drug altogether inert. 



"When Louis XIV., of France, received envoys from Siam, part 

 of the royal gift they brought was in Ginseng. 



Isaac Henry Burkill. 



III.-KHASIA PATCHOULI. 



{Microioena cymosa, Prain.) 

 With Plate. 



Commercial Patchouli is derived from a species of Pogostemor, 

 \_Kew Bulletin for 1888, p. 73]. This plant is sparingly grown in 

 India, and is more generally cultivated in the Malay Peninsula 

 and Archipelago. It also occurs in the Philippines ; whether it 

 be cultivated there is not clear. It is, moreover, possible that 

 more than one species of Pogostemon may be cultivated ; this 

 point it is hoped may be dealt with in a future note. 



In Malaya the cultivation of Patchouli is largely in the hands 

 of Chinese settlers. This fact may possibly explain a suggestion 

 which has been made that China is the original home of the 

 Patchouli-yielding Pogostemon. Howe 

 "aouli Bm< ' 



Thore is, howe , 

 should not be familiar with Patchouli-yielding plants, : 

 Patchouli odour is not confined to the genus Pogostemon. It is 

 associated with more than one species of the genus Microtoena, 

 the majority of which are natives of China. One species, 

 Microtoena rohusta, Hemsley, a native of Szechuen, where, 

 according to a note by M. Farges, it is known as Chi-kiang-tsao, 

 is employed on account of its odour much as the Patchouli 

 imported from Malaya is used in India. Another species, Micro- 

 tcena cymosa, Prain, of which a figure is here given, appears to 

 be similarly used in South-Eastern China (Kwang-tung) and in 

 various parts of Indo- China. There is also a solitary record of 

 its occurrence in Java. It has been already referred to in the 

 Kew Bulletin [1888, p. 74] under the provisional name Plectrah- 

 thus Patchouli. 



An examination of the herbarium material of this species shows 

 that it was first collected in the Eastern Naga Hills, Assam, by 

 Griffith about 1839, was shortly afterwards collected by Jenkins 



