18 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



The alkaloid Atisine of Broughton, from experiments made 

 on rabbits, appears to be non-poisonous. (Dymock). Dr. Dymock 

 says that Atis is an ingredient in Bdl-Goli, a pill given to infants 

 to keep them quiet, which contains thirty-one drugs, of which 

 three are narcotics, viz., Bhang, opium and Datura, and the 

 remainder bitters, aromatics. (Ph. Indica, p. 15, Vol. I.) 



Part used : — The root. 



Use : — The root is officinal in the Indian Pharmacopoeia. 

 Tonic and antiperiodic properties are attributed to it, 



17. A. Soongaricum, Stapf. 



Stapf writes : — "Of all the Indian species of Acouitum which I have seen, 

 this comes nearest to the A. Napellus of Europe ; and if that species is taken 

 in a broad sense, A. Soongaricum might perhaps be included in it as a variety, 

 the principal differences being in the small size and shape of the tubers and 

 the peculiar long-beaked helmet. The long, linear, usually entire lacinise of 

 the leaves also are unusual in A. JSapellus ; still they occur occasionally. 

 The fruits and seeds may possibly, when known, add other distinctive 

 characters." (1. c. p., 142.) 



Vernacular name — unknown, 



Habitat :— Alpine region of the mountain ranges of Gilgit 

 and Turkestan. 



Boots : — Biennial, paired ; tuberous : daughter-tuber conic, 

 slender, 2-2'5 cm. long 0'7 cm. thick, with very few root-fibres, 

 brown externally, fracture horny, brown, taste faintly sweetish 

 bitter, followed by a very slight tingling sensation, cambium 

 continuous, forming a scarcely sinuous ring in cross-section ; 

 mother-tuber similar, more or less shrunk. Innovation-bud 

 conic, about 5 mm. long; scales scarious, soon decaying or 

 sprouting. Stem erect, simple, moderately robust, quite glabrous, 

 rarely slightly pubescent in the upper part, up to 7 dm. high. 

 Leaves scattered, lowest usually decayed at the time of flowering, 

 intermediate remote, upper more approximate, glabrous ; petioles 

 more or less widened at the base ; lower up to 12 cm. long, 

 upper 1-2 cm. long ; blades more or less cordate-orbicular or reni- 

 form in outline, with a wide or narrow sinus, 2 — 3 cm. deep ; 

 5 — 9 cm. from the sinus to the tip, 8 — 12 cm. across, 5-partite to 

 the very base or in the outer incisions almost to the base ; inner 

 3 divisions similar, rhomboid in outline from a narrow cuneate 



