CRUDE DRUGS. 635 



Allied Plants. — Red lobelia, Lobelia cardinalis (Fig. i8oa), 

 and blue lobelia, L. syphilitica (Fig. 180), as well as a large 

 number of other species of Lobelia, are used to some extent in 

 medicine. Lobelia nicotianccfolia of India and Dclissca acniiiinata 

 of the Hawaiian Islands have properties similar to Lobelia iiiflata. 



Adulterants. — The seeds of mullein {Verbascnm Thapsns) 

 are commonly used as an adulterant of Lobelia seeds, but are 

 distinguished from them by not being reticulate. 



CANNABIS INDICA.— EAST INDIAN HEMP.— The 

 flowering tops of the pisM^ate plants of Cannabis sativa (Fam. 



Moracese), an annual herb* (Fig. 273) indigenous to Central and 

 Western Asia, and cultivated in India and other tropical coun- 

 tries and also in temperate regions for the fiber and seed (p. 

 255). The drug, however, is obtained from plants cultivated in 

 tropical India. The flowering tops are made into more or less 

 compressed masses, ' forming what is known as " ganja " or 

 "' guaza." The best grade of ganja is obtained from unfertilized 

 plants grown in Bengal. The leaves ma}' be collected and dried 

 separately and constitute what is known as " bhang." The resin 

 which separates from ganja and bhang, or that which is collected 

 from the growing plant, constitutes the product known as 

 " charas " (p. 255). Cannabis sativa has become naturalized in 

 the Central United States, and, while the American drug was at 

 one time official, is now but little used in medicine. Fruiting 

 spikes with mature seeds should be removed. 



Description. — Usually in compressed masses 5 to 14 cm. long. 

 Stem cylindrical, about 3 mm. in diameter, longitudinally fur- 

 rowed and wrinkled, light green, pubescent, internodes 2 to 20 

 mm. long. Leaf digitately compound, with three to seven linear- 

 lanceolate, nearly sessile leaflets, apex of leaflets acuminate, base 

 acute or cmieate, margin deeply serrate; upper and under sur- 

 faces dark green, pubescent, glandular, veins of the first order 

 diverging at an angle of 65° and terminating in the teeth; petiole 

 I to 5 cm. long. Inflorescence in sessile spikes, each flower sub- 

 tended by an ovate, pubescent bract ; calyx entire, ovate or oblong- 

 acuminate, about 4 mm. long, dark green, pubescent, split longi- 

 tudinally on one side, somewhat enlarged at the base and folded 

 around the ovary; styles two, about 8 mm. long, filiform, pubes- 



