UMBELLIFER^E. XCI1I. DOREMA. XCIV. EBIOSYNAPHE. XCV. PALIMBIA. 



329 



flower, and seed ; but he brought away a root, with a piece of 

 the stem, and some dry leaves attached ; and which I have for- 

 warded in a box to your address. You will observe the account 

 of the plant is dated in July, 1822, though I only received it a 

 short time ago. 



" Description of the Oshac or gum-Ammoniac plant, by Capt. 

 Hart. 



" ' It having been intimated to me while at Bushire by the 

 Resident, Capt. Bruce, that the plant which produces the gum- 

 Ammoniac, called by the Persians Oshak, would be acceptable 

 to botanists, as it was but imperfectly known, I procured the 

 accompanying piece of stem, leaf, and flower, and took a drawing 

 of one of the finest plants. Its height was 7 feet 2 inches, and 

 the circumference of the lower part of the stem 4 inches. It 

 grows principally on the plains between Yerdekaust and Ku- 

 misha, in the province of Irauk, without cultivation. The gum 

 is so abundant, that upon the slightest puncture being made, it 

 instantly oozes forth, even at the ends of the leaves. When the 

 plant has attained perfection, innumerable beetles, armed with 

 an anterior and posterior probe of half an inch in length, pierce 

 it in all directions ; it soon becomes dry, and is then picked off", 

 and sent via Bushire to India and various parts of the world ; 

 and is an article of considerable export. I am of opinion it 

 might be cultivated with success in many parts of Kattywar, 

 and the experiment might be worth the consideration of govern- 

 ment. The gum might easily be procured by artificial means, 

 which would answer the purpose equally well. 



" ' From the part of the stem attached to the roots of the 

 specimen I sent you, a considerable portion of the gum will be 

 seen exuded, in which respect it resembles the Assafcetida plant, 

 which abounds in the mountains in the south of Persia, particu- 

 larly in the province of Pars.' " 



The gum is collected about the middle of June ; a tenth is re- 

 mitted as tribute to the government ; the rest is sent to Bushire 

 on the Persian Gulf. Part of that imported to this country 

 comes from the Levant ; but the largest quantity and the best 

 comes by way of India. 



According to Major Willock, who has visited the districts 

 where the plant grows wild, the Ooshak or gum-Ammoniac 

 plant grows in great abundance over the arid plains in the vici- 

 nity of the town of Jezud Khast, on the borders of the pro- 

 vinces of Pars and Irak, a district appertaining to the govern- 

 ment of Ispahan. The white juice which forms the gum per- 

 vades the whole plant, but exudes chiefly from the principal 

 stems. It either remains on them in lumps, or, falling to the 

 ground, is gathered by the villagers in the autumn, and is sold 

 by them. The Ooshak plant is to be met with nowhere but in 

 the province of Irak, growing in very dry plains, gravelly soils, 

 and exposed to an ardent sun. 



Ammoniac has a nauseous taste, followed by a bitter one ; and 

 a peculiar smell, somewhat like that of Galbanum, but more 

 grateful ; it softens in the mouth, and acquires a white colour 

 upon being chewed. It softens by heat, but is not fusible ; 

 when thrown upon live coals it burns away in flame. Such tears 

 as are large, dry, free from small stones, seeds or other impuri- 

 ties, should be picked out, and preferred for internal use ; the 

 coarser kind is purified in solution, colature, and careful inspis- 

 sation ; but unless this be artfully managed, the gum will lose 

 a considerable deal of its more volatile parts. These are often 

 vended in the shops under the name of stained gum-Ammonia- 

 cum, a composition of ingredients much inferior in virtue. 



The general action of gum-Ammoniac is stimulant. On many 

 occasions, in doses from 10-30 grains, it proves a valuable an- 

 tispasmodic, deobstruent or expectorant. In large doses it purges 

 gently, excites perspiration, and increases the flow of urine. 

 It is used with advantage to promote expectoration in some pul- 



VOL. III. 



monary diseases, especially asthma and chronic catarrh ; in 

 dropsical affection to augment the flow of urine, and to sup- 

 port the salivation in small pox. In long and obstinate cholics, 

 proceeding from viscid matter lodged in the intestines, this 

 gummy resin has produced good effects, after purges and the 

 common carminatives had been used in vain. Externally it is 

 supposed to soften and ripen hard tumours, is often applied as 

 discutient in white swellings of the knee, and other indolent 

 tumours. A solution of it in vinegar has been recommended 

 by some for resolving even schirrous swellings. It is exhibited 

 internally combined with vinegar, vinegar of squills, assafoetida, 

 &c. and in pills, with bitter extracts, myrrh, assafoetida ; exter- 

 nally, dissolved in vinegar, combined with turpentine, common 

 plaster, &c. 



Ammoniac. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1831. PI. 4 to 7 feet. 



Cult. See Ferula for culture and propagation, p. 328. 



XCIV. ERIOSYNATHE (from tpwv, erion, wool, and 

 ffvva^r], synaphe, connection ; in reference to the commissure, 

 which is the connection of the two mericarps that compose the 

 fruit, and which is clothed with wool-like down in the hollows 

 between the nerves). D. C. coll. mem. 5. p. 50. t. 1. f. 9. prod. 

 4. p. 175. Ferula species, Fisch. 



LIN. SYST. Pentandria, Digynia. Limb of calyx with 5 

 short blunt teeth. Petals ovate, entire, acuminated ; points 

 short, incurved. Fruit compressed from the back, girded by a 

 thickish margin. Mericarps with 3 dorsal filiform ribs, but the 

 2 lateral ones are lost in the thickish margin, which is spongy 

 inside ; furrows between the ribs broad, and furnished with 2-3 

 striae, and bearing 2-3 small vittae ; commissure without vittse, 

 marked by a middle nerve and 2 marginal ones, tomentose, and 

 rather concave between the nerves. Seed complanate. A 

 perennial glabrous herb, with the habit of Ferula. Leaves de- 

 compound : leaflets long, linear. Involucra and involucels none. 

 Flowers yellow. This genus is very nearly allied to Ferula, but 

 the singularity of the commissure of the fruit distinguishes it 

 from all other umbelliferous genera. 



1 E. LONGIFOLIA (D. C. 1. c.) If. . H. Native of Siberia, 

 in the region of the Volga at Sarepta. Ferula cachroides, Cat. 

 hort. orl. 1811. Ferula longifolia, Fisch. cat. hort. gor. 1812. 

 p. 46. Stem terete, branched. Leaves glaucescent : leaflets 

 an inch or more long. Upper petioles narrow, sheathing, awned 

 at the apex. Umbels of many rays. 



Long-leaved Eriosynaphe. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1820. PL 

 4 to 5 feet. 



Cult. See Ferula, p. 328. for culture and propagation. 



XCV. PALI'MBIA (meaning unknown to us). Bess. enum. 

 pi. vohl. p. 94. Koch, in litt. D. C. prod. 4. p. 1 75. Peuce- 

 danum species, Pall. Sison species of Lin. fil. and Bieb. Siler 

 or Agasyllis species, Spreng. Shim species, Lam. 



LIN. SYST. Pentandria, Digynia. Margin of calyx obsolete. 

 Petals elliptic, with an indexed acute point. Fruit oblong or 

 oval : the transverse section elliptic. Mericarps compressed 

 from the back, having 5 filiform bluntish ribs : the 2 marginal 

 ones rather the broadest ; furrows between the ribs furnished 

 with 3 vittae each ; commissure bearing 2 broad marks. Seed 

 oblong, with many stripes, free from the pericarp. Glabrous 

 perennial herbs. Leaves tripinnate ; leaflets multifid. Stem 

 terete, branched. Involucra of few leaves or wanting. Flowers 

 cream-coloured. This genus differs from Peucedanum, in the 

 furrows of the fruit being furnished with 3 vittae each, instead 

 of one. 



1 P. SA'LSA (Bess. enum. pi. vohl. 55. no. 1484.) stem terete, 

 branched, naked ; radical leaves tripinnate ; leaflets many- 

 U u 



