102 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [April, 1905. : 
‘eae a Re ie dahon Principle of the flowers of Nyctanthes Arbor- 
tristis. —By E. G. Hint, B.A. 
The Nyctanthes bia a known in Urdu as “ Harsinghar,” 
is a large shrub of the order Oleacew. The flowers are sessile in 
bracteate fascicles, a are pedunculate and are Bist be» in short 
terminal trichotomous cymes; the corolla tube is orange, and the 
limb white. The flowers open at night and fall 40 the feta the 
following day. ‘They are then collected for use in dyeing. The 
plant grows most abundantly in the sub-Himalayan districts. 
For use in dyeing, the flowers are steeped or boiled in water 
and the solution strained off. It is a beautiful ag golden- sane 
i e effect is tran 
of the dye is in SURG HEALIOH with turmeric and safilower. It is 
seldom used with indigo. It is sometimes employed ag colouring 
fancy leather-work. With safflower, turmeric, red oc myroba- 
Jans and sulphate of iron it gives a fast maroon-brown, halt ith 
Butea frondosa and indigo and acidulated water, a fast grape 
No reference has been found to this flower in the chemical 
literature at my disposal, but in 1902, A. P. Sirkar made in my 
laboratory, a preliminary investigation into the colouring principle, 
which he considered existed in the flowers as a glucoside. He was 
higher percentage of carbon. He also considered that there were 
two methoxy groups present in the compound and-at least one 
carbonyl grou 
e most noticeable feature of the colouring matter was the 
high percentage of hydrogen which was invariably obtained on 
combustion. 
The Ripe: of Work was as follow: 
extract.— wers were eeenasled in cold water 
and the outta t carefully filtered The infusion was light -yellow 
in dilute, and dark-brown in concentrated solutions. It had a great 
attraction for flies. The infusion gave an acid reaction with litmus, 
