N. O. CAPRIFOLIAOE^. 639 



N. 0. CAPRIFOLIACEiE. 

 589. Sambucus ebulus, Linn., h.f.b.l, hi 2. 



Vern. : — Richh kas ; Mushkiara ; ganhula gandal ; gwandish ; 

 Siske tasar (Pb). 



Habitat : — Kashmir and Western Himalaya. 



A gregarious, herbaceous plant. Stems mostly simple, 3-6ft. 

 high. Leaves unequally pinnate, 9in. Leaflets 5-9, oblong- 

 lanceolate, free, 3-6in., puberulous, or nearly glabrous. 

 Stipules often foliaceous, serrate. Corymbs peduncled or leafy 

 at the base, compact and many-rayed. Bracteoles minute, 

 linear. Corolla |-in. diam., broadly companulate, white, pink, 

 or dark purple. Drupe i'm. diam., globose, black. C. B. 

 Clarke observes that the flowers, European as well as Indian, 

 have a strong piculiar odour, and that the uppermost flowers 

 are barren. 



Use : — The roots have purgative properties, and are used in 

 dropsy, as also the berries (Honigberger). 



In England, the berries, and also decoction made of the 

 root and bark of this plant, are very old village medicines, and 

 are in occasional use in country places. They are violently 

 emetic. 



An infusion of the fresh or dried flowers is used for cold. 



A preparation made from leaves and flowers is an old 

 country medicine for rheumatism. 



An oil, obtained by distilling the leaves with steam, is of a dark-brown 

 colour, and has an unpleasant odour, : Sp. Gr. 0*8998 at 15° C. ; acid value, 

 250-90 ; ester value, 46*0. The saponified oil has a pleasant odour, resembling 

 that of apricots and peaches, and contains an alcohol which has not been 

 identified. Palmitic acid was detected in the oil. (H. Haencel in Chem. 

 Zentr. 1910, abstracted in J. Ch. I. for May 31, 1910, p. 



590. Viburnum fcetidum, Wall, h.f.b.l, hi. 4. 



Vern. :— Nara Vela (M.) 

 Habitat : — Khasia Mountains and Assam. 

 An erect shrub, 6-10 ft. ; branchlets, petioles and inflores- 

 cence, stellate hairy. Leaves coriaceous, rhomboid, lanceolate 



