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462 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



4 — 5 f inserted on the throat of the corolla. Filaments either dilated and monadelphous 

 at base or free. Anthers incumbent. Ovary 1-celled. Style wanting or very short. 

 Stigmas two, sessile. Capsule 1-celled, 2-valved, septicidal, with a spongy placenta at 

 the sutures. Seeds small, very numerous. 



A small genus formed by Don (Phil. Mag.) for the reception of. certain 

 species of Geniiana and Swertia, and as now recognised by De Can- 

 dolle, including also Agathotes of Don. The species are all East Indian, 

 and are mostly annual, rarely perennial, erect, branched, paniculate, with 

 subequal internodes, and opposite leaves. They possess the same general 

 properties as the Gentians. 



O. 'Chirayta, Grisebach. — Stem round. Leaves ovate-lanceolate. Hollows of the 

 corolla nectariferous, oblong, distinct. Scales capillo-fimbricate at the margin. 



Grisebach, Gent. 320; Roxburgh (Geniiana), Asiat. Research., xi. 167 ; 

 Don (Agathotes), Phil. Mag. 1836. 



Common Names. — Chirayta ; Chiretta ; Wormseed Plant. 

 Foreign Names. — Chiraeta, Hind. ; Kirataticta, Sa?isc. 



Description. — Annual root branching. Stem terete, smooth, jointed, branched. 

 Branches long, erect, spreading. Leaves cordate-ovate, acuminate, sessile, smooth, 5 to 

 7-nerved. Flowers numerous, in cymose, few-flowered umbels. Calyx 4-cleft ; segments 

 shorter than the corolla, linear, acute. Corolla yellow, 4-parted ; segments spreading, 

 ovate-lanceolate, aeuminate, with two. oblong, distinct hollows, with fimbriated scales. 

 Stamens 4, with subulate filaments, briefly connected at base. Capsule conical, 1-celled, 

 many-seeded. 



This plant is a native of the upper part of India, in Nepaul, &c., and is 

 much used and esteemed in that country as a tonic. Roxburgh (Flor. Ind.) 

 states that it is pulled up by the root, when the flowers fade and the capsules 

 are filled. The whole plant is used. The root is fibrous, the stem round, 

 smooth, and jointed; the odour is very feeble, but the taste exceedingly 

 bitter. According to an analysis by Lassaigne and Boissel it contains 

 Resin, a yellow Bitter Extractive, brown Colouring matter, Malic Acid, 

 Gum, some Salts, &c. It yields its virtues to water and alcohol. This is 

 the plant supposed by Guibourt to be -Calamus verus of the ancient writers ; 

 but, as shown by Fee, this supposition is wholly untenable. 



Medical Projyerties.—Like Gentian it is a pure and simple bitter, and is 

 applicable to the same morbid conditions. It is much employed in India in 

 intermittents and in dyspepsia. It appears first to have been introduced into 

 Europe by M. Leschenault, in 1822, and it has since been employed with 

 some success, especially in England. Some practitioners attribute peculiar 

 powers to it; thus Dr. Currie (Orient. Herald) thinks that it has a special 

 action on the liver, and Dr. Sigmond (Lancet) corroborates this opinion, and 

 states further, that its tonic effects are more permanent than those of the 

 other bitters, and also that it is of great benefit where the system has been 

 weakened by the use of mercury. Churchill and Stephenson say that, " from 

 inquiries made of a Hindoo, we ascertained that the infusion, made very 

 strong is taken in large doses as a tonic, and often induces vomiting from its 

 intense bitterness. It likewise occasionally acts with freedom on the bowels, 

 producing copious bilious evacuations, on account of which it is highly 

 esteemed in liver complaints." 



The dose of the infusion, made with half an ounce of the plant to a pint of 

 boiling water, is an ounce or two. The tincture is also a good form, where 

 it is used as a stomachic. 



Frasera. — Walter. 

 Calyx 4-partcd ; segments connected at base, persistent. Corolla deciduous, rotate, 4- 



