Order 77. Loganiacece. 189 



2. STRYCHNOS. 



1. S. nux vomica. A tree without tendrils, leaves ovate, 

 smooth, shining, flowers greenish white in cymes, corolla tube 

 much longer than the calyx, fruit like a small orange, seeds 

 many, light grey, silky. Kdjra, Kuchla. 



Common in S.Konkan. Throughout tropical India (-5".). 



The seeds, which are commonly sold in the bazaar, and look like 

 flat, round buttons, produce strychnine, and the bitter woody root is 

 also used medicinally. 



"Among the Malabar immigrants to Ceylon there is a belief that 

 the seed, if habitually taken, will act as a prophylactic against the - 

 venom of the cobra : and I have been assured that the Indian coolies 

 accustom themselves to eat a single seed a day with that object." 

 (Tennent.) 



2. * S. potatorum. A tree with elliptic acute smooth leaves, 

 flowers small, white or greenish yellow, corolJa tube as in the 

 last, berry black, seeds one or two, hemispherical. Gdjra, nir- 

 mala, nivali, katdk. 



Konkan, Matheran, Ghauts, and elsewhere. Called the clearing 

 nut tree, from the seeds being used to clear water. " These seeds 

 are constantly carried about by the more provident of our officers 

 and soldiers in time of war, to enable them to purify their water. 

 They are easier to be obtained than alum, and probably less hurtful 

 to the constitution." Roxburgh. Tennent mentions the same use 

 in Ceylon. 



* S. colubrina, a large climber, leaves ovate, smooth, flowers small 

 in short cymes, fruit size of an olive, one-seeded. Kanal, Kdjarvel, 

 iaral. S. Konkan (D.), Matheran (Birdwood). * S. Dalzellii (S. axil- 

 laris, D.), flowers in short dense cymes, berry much larger than the 

 last, and many-seeded. Konkan and Deccan (#.). Not in D. or <?., 

 and apparently not much known. 



Mitreola. Herbs, with small white flowers, styles 2, short, under 

 one hairy stigma. * M. oldenlandioides, small, erect, leaves narrow at 

 both ends, flowers subsessile, capsule shape of a mitre, seeds 3- 

 cornered. Caranjah (-D.)> Central Provinces, &o. (H.). 



Mitrasacme. As the last, but all parts 4 instead of 5, capsule round. 

 * M. alsinoides (M. pusilla, D.), 6 inches high or less, smooth, leaves 

 linear subulate, flowers solitary or twin white, capsule shorter than 

 caljx. Malwan (.D.). Widely scattered (#.). 



ORDER 78. GENTIANACEJE. Gentians. 



Herbs, generally erect, and very symmetrical in all parts 



(except Canzcora), stems generally 4-sided, leaves opposite, 



simple, 3 or 5-nerved or ribbed, without stipules, calyx free, 



persistent, generally 3 to 5-lobed, corolla lobes as many, twisted 



