NARCOTICS. 



Remarks, Pan, either Betel leaf or Siri, with Betel nut and lime, con- 

 stitute the narcotic masticatory of the East, for brevity usually called 

 " Betel," and which is perhaps consumed hy the human family as 

 largely as Tobacco. It is chewed, and the quid goes in Bombay by the 

 name of Pan-psoopari, -and is sometimes the cover of a bribe. 



N. O. 251. PALM^:. PALMS. 



Areca Catechu. W. Medicinal Cabbage tree. 



Linn. Syst. Monoecia Hexandria. 



The kernel, Betel nut; and the extract of the kernel, Catechu 



(of one kind). 

 Vernacular. Goovaka, Sans. Gowa, Oodbeg, Beng. Sooparee, 



Hind. Beng. Dec. Paak, Camooghoo, Tarn. Poka, Oka, Tel. 



Pawaky Cey. Tofil, Arab. Kwoon-ben, Burmah. Pinang, Malaya. 



Habitat. East Indies. 



Remarks. See " Drugs" and Chavica Betel. Paulo-Pinang is " Areca 

 Palm Island." The intoxicating effect of Betel when chewed is due 

 probably to the mutual reaction of the Betel nut, Betel leaf, lime, and 

 saliva. Often the extract is substituted for the Betel nut itself, as 

 also the extract of the wood of Acacia Catechu, and of the leaf of Uncaria 

 Gambir. On the Malabar coast an intoxicating lozenge is prepared from 

 the sap of Areca Catechu. 



Borassus flab ellifor mis. W. Fan-leaved Borassus, Palmyra. 



Linn. Syst. Dioecia Hexandria. 



The sap, fermented. 



Vernacular. Tola, Sans. Tal, Hind. Beng. Tarie, Hind. Tar 

 Dec. Ampana, Carimpana, Mai. Panang-kulloo, Tarn. Putoo- 

 toadi, Tatti-Kulloo, Tel. Tal-gaha, Cey. Lontar, Malaya. Tafi, 

 Dom ? (Forskal) Arab. 



Habitat. East Indies. 



Caryota urens. W. Torn-leaved Caryota. 



Linn. Sytt. Monoecia Polyandria. 



The sap, fermented. 



Vernacular. Bherlee Mahr, By. Kitul, Cey. 

 Habitat. East Indies. 



Remarks. Abounds in sap, but in this Presidency is found only on 

 the Ghats. 

 213 



