SOUCHET. 317 



C. rotund us, Lin., Sp. PL, p. 67.* 



The plant is synonymous with C. hexastachyos, Eottb. Deser. and 

 Ic, t. 14, f. 2. 



Its Indian vernacular names are very numerous. In the Hindee 

 and Bengalee dialects, the tubes are known as Mutha ; in Bombay 

 as Musta and Barikmoth ; in Singalee as Kalandurn ; in Sanskrit 

 as Musta, Gundra, Bliadra muste, also Mustaka ; but for the whole 

 list the reader is referred to the works mentioned at foot, especially 

 Koxburgh's Ilor. Ind. and Watt's Diet, of the Economic Products 

 of India, ii., p. 686. 



C. Eotundus is the KVTrepo^ of the Greeks, and is mentioned by 

 Dioscorides, who says it is the Juncus or Radix Junci of the 

 Eomans. Herodotus (iv., p. 71) notices it as an aromatic plant 

 used by the Scythians for embalming. KvireLpov is mentioned in 

 the Iliad (21, 1. 351) and Odyssey (4, 1. 603), and by Theophrastus 

 in his fourth book. Pliny (21, 1. 18) calls it Juncus triangularis 

 or angulosis. 



The culms are erect, from one to two feet high, naked, three- 

 sided, smooth, with the angles rounded. The leaves are radical, 

 or only investing the base of the culm, sheathing, shorter than the 

 culm, smooth and glossy. The umbels are terminal, compound in 

 very luxuriant plants, sometimes decompound, from two to three 

 inclies each way, Umbellets from two to eight, all having 

 peduncles of from one-fourth of an inch to two inches long. 

 Involucre generally three-leaved, unequal, smooth ; the largest is 

 only a little longer than the umbel. Spikes linear, sub-sessile. 

 Seed, three-sided, brown, rather rugose. 



* The descriptive notices of this plant are to be found in the following 

 works: — Journ. Lin. Soc, xxi., p. 167 ; R. Brown, Prod., p. 216 ; Roxb., Fl, 

 Ind., i., p. 201 ; Nees, PL Medic. Abbild., t. 25, fig. A ; Presl, Eel. Ha'nk., i., 

 p. 175 ; D.C. and Lam. Fl. Franc;., iii., p. 146; Kunth, Enum., ii., p. 58; 

 Webb and Berth, lies. Canar. Phyt., iii., p. 363; Hassk., PI. Jav. Kar., p. 80 ; 

 Benth., Flor. Hongk., p. 387, Fl. Austral., vi., p. 279 ; Griseb., Fl. Brit. West 

 Ind., p. 564 ; Boeck., in Linnfpa, xxxvi., p. 283 ; Baker, Fl. Maurit., p. 410 ; 

 Cosson, Expl. Alger. Glum., p. 247 ; Boiss., Fl. Orient., v., p. 377 ; Clarke, in 

 Journ. Lin. Soc, xxi., 167; Home Dept. Official corresp., regarding Pharm. 

 Ind., 238 ; Hove's tour in Bombay, pp. 112, 120 ; Elliot, Flora Andhrica, pp. 

 25, 76, 120, 184 ; Modeen Sheritt', Supp. Pharm. Ind., p. 128 ; Dutt, Mat. Med. 

 Ind., p. 264; Dymock, Mat. Med. W. Ind., 2nd ed., p. 844; Arjun, Bomb. 

 Drugs, p. 150; Baden-Powell, Punjab Prod., p. 382; Birdwood, Bomb. Prod., 

 94 ; Jnl. As. Soc, Pt. ii., p. 82 ; Kumph., Anib., vi., p. 1, t. 1, figs. 1, 2. 



