DYES. 



N. O. 78. LYTH RACEME. LOOSESTRIFES. 

 Grislea tomentosa, Rox. Downy Gris j ea. 



Linn. Syst. Octnndria Monogynia. 



The petals. 



Vernacular. Uyni-jwala^ Dhatri-pooshpiha, Sans. Dhub, Dhanga- 

 phul, Dheephool, Beng. JJhaitee, Dhauree, By. Sirinjie, Tel. 



Habitat. Hindoostan and Deccan. 



Remarks. The petals yield a valuable red dye of considerable impor- 

 tance, but unknown beyond India. 



Lawsonia alba. Lam. Henna Plant. 



Linn. Syst. Octandria Monogynia. 



The leaves, Henna. 



Vernacular. Sa/cachara, Sans. Shudee, Beng. Hind. Mayndie, 

 Hina, Hind. Mailanschi, Ponta-letsche, Mai. Maroodanie, 

 Tarn. Goounta-chettoo, Tel. Gorunia-gorinta, Cey. 



Habitat. The East Indies ; Northern Africa, Cyprus. Usually 

 found in gardens. 



Remarks. Solomon is supposed by Sprengel to refer to the Henna 

 plant in his Epithalamium (i. 14) : " My beloved is unto me as a cluster 

 of Samphire (sometimes translated Cypress) in the vineyards of Engedi." 

 It is undoubtedly the Kimpos of Dioscorides (i. 12*4), and "Cyprus in 

 Egypt" of Pliny. It is mentioned by Avicenna also under the name of 

 Henna. Lamert's species includes L. inermis and L. spinosa of other 

 botanists. The women of Egypt, and of other eastern countries, tinge 

 their fingers and toes, and often hands and feet, with the orange red dye of 

 the Henna plant, and hence probably the designation of Aurora as " rosy 

 fingered." In Egypt, also, on a certain night preceding the wedding, 

 Henna is applied with linen bandages to the hands and feet of the bride, 

 until the next morning, when they are of a bright orange, red colour ; and 

 the night is called " the Night of the Henna." 



N. O. 82. MELASTOMACE^;. MELASTOMADS. 



Memecylon tinctorium. 



Linn. Syst. Octandria Monogynia. 



The leaves. 



Vernacular. Kanyavuh, Mai. Casau-checldy, Anjun, By. Kay- 

 ampoovoocheddi, Tani. Alli-cheddu, Tel. Dcedi-kaha, Cey. 



Habitat. Malabar, Travancore, Coromandel. 



Remarks. The fruit is edible, and hence Roxburgh's name M. edule. 

 The wood is called Kurpa in Bombay. Cremanium reclinatum and 



