878 INDTAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



powder dried 100 o C., yielded 2*68 per cent, of extractive to absolute alcohol 

 of which 1*73 per cent, was soluble in ether. The resins contained in the 

 alcoholic extract had the properties of Jalap resins as regards colour,, reac- 

 tions, &c, ; but we are unable to say whether they possess any purgative 

 action. Sugar, reducing alkaline copper solution on boiling, was present 

 to the extent of 10'909 per cent, calculated on the anhydrous tubers. The 

 bulk of the tuber consists of starch, Supposing the resins to be purgative ; 

 they are present in so small a proportion that no ordinary dose of the root 

 would have any aperient action. (Pharmacographia Indica, Vol. II p. 536)= 



839. I. Batatas, Lamk. h.f.b.i., iv. 202. 



Syn. : — Convolvulus Batatas, Linn. Roxb. 162. 



Vern. :— -Shakarkand ; Ranga alu (B.) ; Shakarkan'd (H. 

 and Pers.) ; Vulli-kiz-hangu (Tarn.) ; Ratalu, Shakar-kand 

 (Bomb.) ; Sakaria (Guz-) ; Chelagada (Tel.) Genasu (Kan.). 



Habitat : — Native of America, cutivated in India. 



Prostrate annual herbs, glabrous or sparingly hairy. Tubers 

 red, white or rarely yellow. Leaves ovate-cordate, many-fid. 

 Acute angular, more or less lobed, Peduncles long. Flower 2in. 

 and upwards, purple. Sepals elliptic, shortly acute, glabrous. 

 Corolla widely tubular, funnel-shaped. Stamens included. Ovary 

 4-celled. Seeds glabrous. Rarely allowed to grow to the stage 

 of fruiting or even flowering. The edible mealy tubers are 

 gathered for the market long before that. 



There are two forms, one with red and the other with 

 tubers ! 



Use: --The roots of this plant have a laxative property. 



(Watt). 



It contains more dry starchy and sugary matter than the ordinary potato, 

 but less nitrogenous substance possessing about 10 to 20 per cent, of sugar 

 and about 16-05 per cent, of starch. It is an excellent source of alcohol, 100 

 kilos of tubers yielding about 12 to 13 litres of absolute alcohol. 



840. • I: pes-tigridis, Linn, h.f.b.i. iv. 204; 

 Boxb. 169. 



Vern :— LangulMata (B.) ; Mekamu aduga (Tel.). 



Habitat : — Throughout India. 



Stems twining, patently hirsute. Leaves l-5in. diam., hirsute 

 on both surfaces, deeply 5-9-lobed. Lobes elliptic, acuminate, 

 narrowed at the base ; petiole l-Sicu Peduncles J-3in. Heads 



