S. Stbychnos.] 72. LOGANIACEJE. 



1. S. NuX- vomica, L. Kuchila, R. The Strychnine 

 tree. 



A mod. -sized rather handsome tre^ with shining green 

 shoots, short-petioled shining leaves about 3|" by 2" to 4" by 

 3'' and small greenish-white flowers f-£" long in small 

 terminal corymbose cymes. Barry globose with a coriaceous 

 pericarp orange when ripe and a white pulp. Seeds several 

 discoid |" diam. with a grey satiny lustre. 



Dalbhum, Wood ; Occasional in Singbhum and Palaman ; Megatun 

 (Haxaribagh), Haslett ! but always near villages, and I do not think 

 indigenous. Parasnath, Camp. Herb ! 



Fls. Jany. Fr. Dec. Evergreen. 



L. elliptic to sub-orbicular rounded both ends, reticulate beneath, 

 two lateral basal nerves fine. Petiole J-f*. 



The dried ripe seeds are the Nux-Vomica of the Pharmacopoeia- 

 Merely powdered, they are a valuable tonic and useful in atonic dyspepsia, 

 both in human beings and horses. They are the ohief source of 

 Strychnine. 



2. S. potatorum, L. f. Nirmali, R. ; Kuchila, 8. The 

 Clearing Nut. 



A small tree with elliptic to ovate sub-sessile glabrous 

 leaves united by a stipular ridge and white (or greenish- 

 yellow, Roxb.) fragrant flowers £-f* long in lateral sub- 

 sessile cymes. Berry sub-globose black when ripe j-f* 

 diam. Seeds 1-2, £-|" diam. 



Chota Nagpur, Pram. Manbhum, Camp, whether wild or not it not 

 stated. I have not seen it in C. N. It occurs along the Sone, Hook. 

 (Him. Journals). Fls h. s. Fr. Nov. 



L. 2-3''. Corolla-tube campanulate hairy within. 



. The seeds rubbed round the inside of a vessel are used to clear 

 muddy water. The pulp is eaten. 



Fam. 73. GENTIANACEJE. 



Herbs usually glabrous with opposite entire exstipulate 

 often basal -nerved leaves. Fls. regular or irregular usually in 

 ebracteate cymes. Calyx inferior, lobes 4-5 imbricate in 

 bud. Corolla f unnel-ishaped or rotate. Stamens on the tube, 



420 



