734 On the preparations of the Indian Hemp, or Gunjah. £Sept, 



Section I. 



Botanical characters Chemical Properties — Production. 



Botanical Description.— Assuming with Lindley and other emi- 

 nent writers that the Cannabis sativa and Indica are identical, we find 

 that the plant is dioecious, annual, about three feet high, covered over 

 with a fine pubescence ; the stem is erect, branched, bright green, 

 angular ; leaves, alternate or opposite, on long weak petioles ; digitate, 

 scabrous, with linear, lanceolate, sharply serrated leaflets, tapering into 

 a long smooth entire point; stipules subulate ; clusters of flowers axil- 

 lary with subulate bractes ; males lax and drooping, branched and 

 leafless at base ; females erect, simple and leafy at the base. $ Calyx 

 downy, five parted, imbricated. Stamens five ; anthers large and 

 pendulous. <? Calyx covered with brown glands. Ovary roundish with 

 pendulous ovule, and two long filiform glandular stigmas ; achenium 

 ovate, one seeded. — v. Lindlet/'s Flora Medica, p. 299.* 



The fibres of the stems are long and extremely tenacious, so as to 

 afford the best tissue for cordage, thus constituting the material for 

 one of the most important branches of European manufactures. 



The seed is simply albuminous and oily, and is devoid of all 

 narcotic properties. 



Chemical Properties. — In certain seasons and in warm countries 

 a resinous juice exudes and concretes on the leaves, slender stems, and 

 flowers ; — the mode of removing this juice will be subsequently de- 

 tailed. Separated and in masses it constitutes the Churrusf of Nipal 

 and Hindostan, and to this the type, or basis of all the Hemp prepara- 

 tions, are the powers of these drugs attributable. 



The resin of the Hemp is very soluble in alcohol and ether; 

 partially soluble in alkaline; insoluble in acid solutions; when pure, of 

 a blackish grey colour ; hard at 90° ; softens at higher temperatures, 

 and fuses readily ; — soluble in the fixed and in several volatile oils. Its 



* The drawing which illustrates this paper has been copied by my accomplished 

 friend Dr. George Wallich, from Roxburgh's unpublished plate. 



f For very fine specimens of Ckurrus, I have to express my thanks to Dr. Campbell, 

 late assistant Resident at Nipal. 





