710 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



Carduus benedictus of Europe. 'Pharmacographia Indica, Vol. 

 II, p. 320). 



678. Carduus nutans, Linn, h.f.b.i., hi. 361. 



Vern, :— Kanchhari, tiso, badaward(Pb.) ; Gul-i-badaward 

 (Kashmir). 



Habitat:— Western Himalaya, from Kashmir to Simla, and 

 Hazara in the Punjab. 



A tall stout thistle, biennial, cobwebby, stem l-3ft., usually 

 simple grooved, interruptedly winged ; wings sinuous, spi- 

 nulose. Leaves 6-12in., variable, entire, 1-2-pinnatifid, waved, 

 spinous. Heads f-1 Jin. diam., solitary or fascicled, hemis- 

 pheric or subcampanulate, inclined or drooping. Involucre- 

 bracts subulate — lanceolate, outer or all terminating in a spread- 

 ing, erect or, reflexed spine. Flowers crimson. Achenes pale 

 brown, glabrous, granulate. 



Use : — In the Punjab, the flowers are considered febrifugal 

 (Stewart). 



It is used in Kashmir to purify the blood(Punjab Products). 



679. Silybum marianum, Gaertn., h.f.b.i., hi. 

 364. 



Habitat : — Punjab and N.-W. Himalaya, Peshawar, Hazara, 

 and from Kashmir to Jammu. 



An annual or biennial shining thistle. Stem l-4ft., grooved, 

 not winged. Leaves larger, with strong spines. Heads l-2in. 

 diam., base intruded. Involucre-bracts coriaceous, with a spine 

 |-fin. long, outermost mucronate. Receptacle fleshy ; flowers 

 rose-purple. Achenes £in., transversely wrinkled, black or 

 grey. Pappus white. 



Uses :— Mr. George Foy (Medical Press for 1887, p. 492) calls 

 attention to its properties. He states that this plant is now 

 being received with professional favour in France, where the 

 tincture and alcoholic extract are both being prepared. He 

 remarks that the extract is a useful adjunct to aloes, since it 

 possesses cholagogue properties (Ph. J. June 25, 1887, p. 1051). 



