8 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



nearly to the base, segments 5-9, narrow, pinnately lobed, often 

 toothed ; stem-leaves few, shortly stalked, upper sessile, more 

 or less deeply 3-lobed, lobes narrow, mostly entire. Flowers 

 few, scattered, 1-1 \ in. long, spur cylindric, nearly straight. 

 Sepals spreading, varying from deep-blue to faded grey. Petals 

 blue, the lateral ones 2-lobed, hairy (CollettJ. Anterior petals 

 deeply 2-fid, hairy on both surfaces. Follicles 3, inflated, glab- 

 rous or sparsely hairy. (Hr. f. and Thorns.). 



Use : — The root is used in Basbahr for toothache and also 

 as an adulterant for aconite (Stewart). 



An alkaloid, introduced into commerce under the name of delpliocurarine 

 (Merck) has been extracted from the roots of a number of Delphiniums by 

 means of an 80 per cent, solution of alcohol containing tartaric acid. Delplio- 

 curarine consists, in reality, of a mixture of bases, and behaves physiologi- 

 cally like curare (compare Lob maim, Pfluger's Archiv 1902, XCII, 398). It 

 forms a white, amorphous powder which has a very bitter taste and an alkaline 

 reaction, and is readily soluble in dilute acids. A small quantity of crystal- 

 line compound, C23H33 7 N, has been isolated from delphocurarine by means of 

 ether and a mixture of light petroleum ; it crystallises in needles, melts at 

 184 c -185°, is rather readily soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, or benzene, 

 but only sparingly so in light petroleum, and contains 18 per cent, of 

 methoxyl. The platinum and gold salts form pale reddish yellow powders, 

 the former containing Pt. 13*69 percent, and the latter Au 23*29. 



J. Cb. S. 1903, AT. 650. 



10. D. cceruleum, Jacq. h.f.br.l, 1. 25. 



Vern. : — Dakhanga (Pb.). 



Habitat :— Alpine Himalaya, from Kumaon to Sikkim. 



An erect herb. Stem 3-12 in., much-branched from the base, 

 leafy, spreading. Lear^suborbicular, 1J-1J in. diam., 5-7 lobed, 

 lobes cuncate — oblong, incised or pinnatifid, segments linear. 

 Radical leaves divided to the base. Flowers solitary in long 

 branches or few in a loose raceme, pale blue, hairy. Sepals 

 shorter than the nearly straight spur. Spur subulate. Anterior 

 petals obovate or obcordate, a little hairy. Follicles 5, hairy. 



Use : — The root is applied to kill the maggots in the wounds 

 of goats. (Stewart.) 



11. D. Brunoinanam, Royle. h.f.br.l, i. 27. 



Vern.: — Nepari (Knmaon) ; Kasturi (Garhwal) ; Sapfulu 



