THE POISONOUS PLANTS OF BOMBAY. 67 



casspitose, there are no flowers in the place for a year or two or 

 three which is the time necessary for the 6-8 ft, growth of the 

 plant. As. I have said above, the plant has flowered in my garden 

 in the very first year of its growth. 



Remarks. — The plant I have described is known on this side of 

 India — in the Konkan — as Kdrav or Karavi (Marathi ^i?:^ or ofrrr^). 

 In Thana it grows abundantly on the hills dividing the Thana 

 valley from the Vehar and Tulsi valleys. My description is from 

 the outgrowth of the species common here. There is some con- 

 fusion, unfortunately, but I believe not unnecessarily with regard 

 to the scientific name that should be given to the plant which goes 

 under the Marathi popular name of Karavi. The Hon'ble Mr. 

 Justice Bird wood designates Karvi as Strohilanthes Asperrimus in 

 his Catalogue of Mahableshwar and Matheran plants. Brigade 

 Surgeon Dymock — the Prince of our living Bombay, aye, Indian 

 Botanists — calls it Strohilcmthes ciliatus. Colonel Beddome, 

 another well-known name in Indian Botany, designates Karvi as 

 Strohilanthes grahamianus. 



Grahamianus. 



Now when three such eminent authorities — apparently widely 

 differing from each other — writers on Indian Botany well versed 

 in the local Flora they have respectively studied and mastered, 

 designate Karvi in their own special way, while I, on the other 

 hand,, follow a defunct Professor from a distant Academy, some 

 apology, some words of explanation, may be deemed necessary, 

 and here I will tender them in all humility. 



The term Karvi to my native Indian mind is essentially expres- 

 sive of economy. Every plant, therefore, of the genus Strohilanthes, 

 whether it be Aaperriimis, Ciliatus, Qrahamianus, or Callosxis repre- 

 sents a species that is known among the natives of the soil as an 

 economic plant, fit to build up their mud-plastered huts, and as 

 such is known as Karvi. What matters it then whether a Bird- 

 wood calls it 8. asperrimus, a Dymock calls it 8. ciliatus, a Beddome 

 calls it 8. Grahamianus, or I, following Nees, call it 8, callosus ? 

 It is Kdrvi after all ! — a Strohilanthes and nothing more. It would 

 still appear to bfe necessary that I should note the distinguishing 

 points which characterize the specimens which have been named 



