N. 0. RANtlNCULACE/E. 15 



15. A. Napellus, Linn, h.f.br.i., i. 28. 



Vern. : — Dudhiabish ; Katbish ; Mitha-Zahar; Tilia cachang ; 

 Moliri (Kashmir and Panjab Himalayan names). The root in 

 Kashmir is called Ban-bal-ndg, Vasa nabhi (Tel.); Dudhio 

 Vachanag (GuzA 



Habitat: — Temperate, Alpine Himalaya, from 10,000 feet to 

 the highest limit of vegetation in the N.-W. Provinces. 



An annual erect herb, starting from an elongated tuberous 

 conical rootstock. Root 2 — 4 in. long, and sometimes as much as 

 an inch in thickness. This root tapers off in a long tail, while 

 numerous branching rootlets spring from its side. If dug 

 up in the summer, it will be found that a second and a younger 

 root (occasionally a third) is attached to it, near its summit, by 

 a very short branch and is growing out of it on one side. This 

 second root has a bud at the top which is destined to 

 produce the stem of the next season. Tt attains its maximum 

 development at the latter part of the year, the parent root, 

 meanwhile, becoming shrivelled and decayed. The dried root 

 is more or less conical or tapering, enlarged, knotty at the 

 summit, which is crowned with the base of the stem. It is from 

 2 — 3 or 4 inches long, and at the top from \ — 1 in. thick. A 

 transverse section of a sound root shows a pure white central 

 portion (pith) which is many-sided and has at each of its 

 projecting angles a thin fibro-vascular bundle. (Fliickiger and 

 Hanbury). Stem : — Stiff upright herbaceous, simple, 3-4ft. high, 

 clothed at its upper half with spreading dark-green leaves, which 

 are paler on their underside; glabrous or slightly pubescent, 

 often decumbent. Leaves 3 — 5 or more inches long, nearly 

 half consisting of the channelled petiole, palmati-partite ; 

 very variable in size. The blade which has a roundish 

 outline, is divided down to the petiole into three principal 

 segments, of which the lateral are sub-divided into two or 

 even three, the lowest being smaller and less regular than 

 the others. The segments, which are trifid, are finally cut 

 into 2 or 5 strap-shaped pointed lobes. The leaves are usually 

 glabrous and are deeply impressed on their upper side by veins 

 which run with but few branchings to the tip of every lobe. 



